Percy Jackson and the Days of Tomorrow Book 1: The Fires Of Chaos
by The Argronaut
Summary: Leo comes back, Percy Proposes to Annabeth, everyone is in College, but not everything is as it seems. The peace is short lived as a new enemy rises from mythology to challenge the famed Son of Poseidon, champion of Olympus. Will he survive? Will he stop the coming danger? What will his actions cost him, and the world?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and all books thereof, they are the property of Rick Riordan and I do not wish to claim ownership of his work, I will simply continue from where the last book leaves off. Thank you.

My name is Percy Jackson, I am a halfblood. In case you don't know what that means, my mother, Sally Jackson, is mortal, my Father, Poseidon, is a god. Being a halfblood has its perks, like an awesome summer camp that you can visit every summer or stay at year round with people just like you. The downside is, every monster, Titan, Giant, Immortal Primordial being, and probably several gods wish for you to die and they will go to great lengths to kill you. Trust me, I know. However, I beat the odds, despite being an incredibly powerful demigod who alerts every monster in a fifty mile radius that lunch has arrived, I have survived and made it to 18! Lucky for me, despite being almost killed about a thousand million times over by monsters, gods, etc. I have managed to get into the college in New Rome with my girlfriend, the daughter of Athena, the one, the only, Annabeth Chase. Ahh, she is gorgeous. Well, now I am in college, I am studying to be an oceanographer. Annabeth is studying to become an architect, and everybody else is here, Piper, Jason, Frank, Hazel, even glum little Nico (who by the way, isn't so glum anymore thanks to a special someone. Those two guys are having a little too much fun if you ask me) but there is still one person who cannot be here because he sacrificed himself to stop Gaia from destroying all of humanity and the gods. I hope he is rocking out in Elysium. Anyway, enough of my ranting, lets get to the story. It actually is still happening as I write this, in fact, it is just beginning.

"Percy! Come on lazy butt, get out of bed!"

"Just five more minutes mom, the bus don't come 'till eight."

"Thats it, I am breaking down this door, wait, did you leave it unlocked?"

"Just five more minutes I promise, then I will kick Nancy Bobofit's ass for making fun of Grover again."

"Percy, Get your ass out of bed now."

"You're not my mother, go away and let me sleep."

"That is no way to talk to your girlfriend. I can kick your ass you know."

"Fine, I'm up, I'm up. Geez, what is so important that you have to get me up before three in the afternoon?"

"Well, I think I had better let him explain it then. Come in!"

"Who are you talking to- Leo? No fucking way!"

"Hey Percy, I-"

I run out of bed and punch Leo in the face.

"OW! What was that for?"

"For letting us all think you were dead."

"Well, I guess I did deserve that. Oh, and I have someone who wants to see you."

"Who?" I ask skeptically.

"Come in C."

"Who is- Oh,"

"Hey Percy,"

I cannot believe my eyes, Calypso, standing there, and us not in Ogygia. It is astounding, I want to rush over and hug her I am so happy that she has finally been freed, but I had a feeling that both Annabeth and Leo would not be cool with that. So, I resigned to standing there awkwardly.

"So, Leo, how did you find her?" Annabeth asked, breaking the sudden and awkward silence. Thank god for Annabeth, smart, beautiful, funny, and the best as resolving awkward moments.

"I set up the Astrolabe in Festus to search for Ogygia while we were working and everything else with Gaia rising and all."

"How did you survive though, you should have died."

"Festus had the death reversal serum in his hide, after I died, he used it on me to bring me back from the dead. Perfect timing too because we had just arrived on Ogygia, Calypso was standing on the beach with her bags packed and ready to go. I did a quick patch job on Festus, and we were off. Simply by chance we ended up at the Roman camp."

"You died like, two years ago man!"

"We kinda lost track of time, it took a lot out of Festus to get us out of Ogygia, so for us, only a few days has passed but it seems that for you all it has been much longer. How are things with Hazel and Frank"

"They are going pretty good, Hazel has finally allowed Frank to kiss her every now and then. And before you ask, Jason and Piper are engaged and are going to get married immediately following graduation in two years."

"Cool, I feel good that they are all getting along nicely."

"Yeah, it has been nice for all of us."

"And percy, what about you and Annabeth, have you, well you know…"

"Wait, what are you talking about Leo?" Annabeth asked inquisitively, the look on her face obviously showed anger about her confusion. She looked at me for resolution but I just shrugged and mouthed _I have no idea._ Frustrated she turned back to Leo.

With a mischievous grin Leo looked at me and I saw the look in his eyes and I knew he was going to spill the beans about what I had confided in him back on the Argo II before it exploded and before we went on our almost suicide mission to fight the giants. I rapidly shook my head no and he smiled. Turning to Annabeth he said, "Oh nothing, just guys talk, I guess I gotta get working on that special project for Percy then so that he can explain it all later."

Annabeth looked at me and I had a weary and obviously faked and forced smile on my face. "Percy you had better tell me what is going on."

"I will, and I know how much you hate surprises but this time it will have to be a surprise, please, just trust me and be patient."

"Hmmff," with that she stalks off in a huff.

"Leo, I am going to kill you and this time you will stay dead!" I scream at him.

Calypso is standing there the whole time looking amused at our back and forth. "My my, you kids sure do know how to get along, I don't think Percy that Annabeth likes you keeping secrets from her."

"I know she doesn't but this time it has to stay secret."

"Why?"

"If I tell you, will you promise to keep it a secret and not tell her or even hint at it?"

Calypso scoffs at my comment. "I would never tell a soul."

I approach her, sure that Annabeth is wearing her invisible cap and is still eavesdropping, I approach her and whisper in her ear, "I am going to propose to Annabeth soon, I just need Leo to make the rings."

I step back and Calypso looks at me with watery eyes. "Awww, thats soo sweet."

"Thanks."

"Well, I think that we should go and see the others before they kill me for hiding from them."

"Sounds like a plan. Annabeth!"

"Coming Percy!" she shouts from the bathroom, so she wasn't eavesdropping after all. Oh well, better safe than sorry.  
"Come on, lets get going, I think the others should be right outside in the cafeteria."

"Okay, let me get dressed first. I will meet you all there."

Leo sticks behind as the girls head down the stairs. "Hey, Percy?"

"Yes?"

"I, umm, I have the rings you wanted."

"May I see them?"

"Yes, here you go." He pulls two identical bronze boxes out from his toolbelt and hands them to me. one has Annabeth's name on it and the other has mine. I open the ring box and find an elegant ring in the middle of a silken cushion, a small, bright, and round emerald sitting in the middle of the silver and gold ring.

"Its beautiful."

"Look on the inside of the ring."

I look inside the band and find an engraving. I cannot read what it says but I don't have to, before I can try and read it Leo says, "It reads: Annabeth, I hold your hands as I ask you to be mine forever."

"Thank you soo much Leo, you really are a true friend. I was wondering where I would get someone as gifted as you to make these rings."

"Come on, lets go down there so you can propose to Annabeth in front of everyone."

I throw on my shirt and stuff the ring boxes into my back pocket and race out the door after Leo, closing it behind me. We head down the stairs and into the lunchroom. well, more like a lunch plaza.

"Man, the Romans sure know how to make things big."

"Hey guys, look, its Leo!"

I laugh at their responses, Hazel faints, Piper jumps up along with Jason and they practically mug Leo with hugs while Frank catches Hazel and tries to sit her back up and fan her at the same time. Once everyone has calmed down and Hazel has regained consciousness, we all sit down as Leo and Calypso tell about how they got here. After about an hour of talking, I order some lunch for all of us.

When the lunch arrives, I stand up and say to the group, I have a question to ask a very special someone without who I would have died at the Battle of Manhattan and many times since, this person is very special to me and I want her to be by my side for the rest of our lives." I look over at Annabeth to see that she is blushing really hard, I cannot tell if it is embarrassment, pride, or the heat out here but I walk over to her and reach behind my back, pulling the box with her ring in it out of my back pocket but keeping it hidden from view. I drop to one knee and pull it out from behind me opening it up and say to her, "Annabeth, as I hold your hand right now," I take her left hand and separate the ring from the box, holding it up for her to see. "I ask you one simple question that will define what we do for the rest of our lives. Annabeth Chase, will you marry me?"

She looks flustered as she fans herself with her free hand, taking in air in big gasps, finally she gulps down enough air to say one simple word, that changed my life forever. "Yes"


	2. Chapter 2

Three days, three days since Annabeth became my fiancẻ. I am totally freaking out, what is she doing right now, how is she feeling, should I call her, no phones light up my position like a neon sign for monsters saying this way to lunch. No, I should go see her, _Really Percy, at three in the fucking morning? She is probably asleep, and you should be too, tomorrow is the last day of school for you until summer ends. Once school is out, you can spend as much time with her as you and she want. relax Perce, she will be fine, one night and you can take her on vacation, see her parents, visit my parents, tell them about how things went. Yeah, I hope her dad remembers that conversation we had over the phone about three years ago. Yeah, he should remember, we should be fine, but for now you need to sleep._

Sleep haunted me. A dark voice called up from Tartarus, Come here Champion of Olympus, come here, help me to rise and I will reward you with much and you will have nothing to fear, come little hero, and help me. Soon your destiny will be fulfilled, but first, you must wake. An earthquake shook me as I slowly gained consciousness, realizing that there were hands on my arms I sprang into wakefulness, whipping out Anaklusmos and pointing it at the throat of my surprised and giggling fiancẻ.

I realize that I am all sweaty and look down at myself to see that my covers are thrown off and I am lying there in my boxers, in front of her. Oh my Gods! I jump off of the bed and hide behind it, my face burning hotter and hotter as she laughs.

"Well, what a way to wake my future husband. I will remember to put that thing farther away from you next time."

"What are you doing in here Annabeth?"

"What, is it illegal to see my fiancẻ now?"

"It is when he is all sweaty, holding a sword, and is in his boxers."

"Aww," she makes that cute pouty face at me that always makes my heart melt.

I lean in to kiss her but she puts a finger to my lips and says, "Brush your teeth first, I don't want to taste your dragon breath Seaweed Brain."

I purse my lips at her and break out giggling, "I don't know why I just laughed."

Annabeth laughs right back at me, "Why did I just do that?"

We both get confused looks on our faces as I pull on my pants and head into the bathroom to brush my teeth. I step into the shower still wearing my pants and will the water to stay off of my clothes but to clean off my sweaty body. Annabeth watches in fascination as I do this.

"I wonder how that works."

"Like this," and I cause the water to arc and hose her down, but I still leave her perfectly dry.

"What the hell Percy! Wah?"

"Yes."

"I - I - I'm dry, but how? you sprayed me directly with water, I felt my clothes soak up the water and I felt it running down me but I am dry, how?"

"I willed the water to leave your clothes as it ran down you, leaving you dry."

"Why?"

"So I can soak you as much as I want and you will still be dry."

"I guess that a squirt gun fight is out of the question then?"

"No, I will just win every time."

"Lets test that theory then, immediately after school I will meet you on the beach with a couple of supersoakers and we will see who is boss."

"You have yourself a deal."

I step out of the shower after turning the water off and brush my teeth. I turn to Annabeth and grab her waist from behind, gracefully spinning her around and pulling her into me. I plant a soft kiss on her lips and ask her, "When should we have the wedding?"

"During summer break, that way, both of our families will be able to be there for us."

"Should we invite your mom and my Dad?"

"Depends," she says with a mischievous smile.

"Depends on what?"

"On whether you are good enough to earn your dad an invite."

"Hey,"

"Kidding, just kidding."

"So we are inviting them, right?"

"Yes, but your dad is paying for it."

"Poseidon, pay for my wedding? I would love to see that happen."

"OUR wedding."

"Right, sorry, I could never forget you, Annabeth. When I said my I meant it as a symbol of us being one person."

"Well, we aren't, yet." she says with another mischievous grin.

"Oh, come on Annabeth, we need to get to class. There cannot be a ditch on the last day of school, this year."

"Oh, come on Perce, please?"

"Annabeth Chase, are you, the one who gets on to me for skipping suggesting that we skip the last day of school?"

"Umm, yes?"

"No, you will not, or we will not invite anyone and our wedding will be postponed."

"We can't have that happen sweetums."

"Aphrodite." Annabeth says with a sour look on her face.

"I had to be here to congratulate you both on your engagement. I will make sure that everything goes smoothly, in fact, I will make sure all of Olympus is there to witness what is probably going to be the most fantastic wedding in all of the World this year."

"With all due respect, Aphrodite, we just want our parents and siblings there, you all can catch it on Hephaestus TV."

"I respect that, young lady. I will give them the invite myself."

"Thank you. Now, Perce, we really had best be getting to class."

With that, Annabeth and I walk out the front door, I grab my shirt on the way out and throw it on as the door closes behind us.

After eight hours, I finally break out of school and rush to the beach. Annabeth is standing there in that bathing suit that I absolutely love. She spins around and I am too startled to stop the water as she soaks me with her super soaker.

"Annabeth!"

"Hahahaha! Gotcha!"

"Get back here you!" I shout playfully as I chase her across the beach, grabbing the stray soaker on the ground that was meant for me. I turn it on her and pull the trigger, releasing a massive jet of water, and emptying the plastic gun. The water hits her so hard she flies into the surf.

"AHHHH!"

"What is it Annabeth?"

"My top, it - its gone!"

"Hold on, I'm coming!"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"I'm coming to you, can you take off your shirt?"

"Here, its off, come on out of the water."

Annabeth steps up out of the surf, her arms crossed over her bare chest. She runs to me and I throw my shirt over her.

"Thank you Perce. Why don't we call it a truce?"

"I don't think so Princess, I clearly won."

"By blowing my top off? No way, that should disqualify you, lucky for you I am feeling generous and am calling it a truce."

"You know, you can be a real pain in the ass sometimes."

"I know, but you love it."

"Come on, lets get you dressed."

I walk her back to her room at the college and she gets dressed and gives me back my shirt. I lead her outside and we find a sea blue convertible, brand new right in front of her room on the ground floor. On the car is a note. I take it off and read it: _For my son as congratulations for his engagement to Annabeth, treat this car well. It may come in handy in the future. I will be there for your wedding. Love, Poseidon._

"Who is it for?"

"Its for me, as congratulations from my dad for getting engaged to you."

"Cool, lets take it to my Dads place."

"On it."

I hop into the drivers seat and find the keys in the glove compartment. I prime the ignition and we drive off into the setting California skyline, our future together ahead of us, and our past, left behind in the dust.


	3. Author's Note

**Authors Note**

** Please Type up reviews, seeing as this is my first fanfic, I would love getting input on my work by the readers who look at it. Thank you for your continued support. I hope this story will be as long as I hope it to be. Enjoy. I will be updating as soon as I can, you all get to take the first look at it so please tell me what you think.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Knock, knock, knock**

What was that knocking at the door this early in the morning. Lucky for whoever it is that I am up this early to make coffee. I get up lethargically, unhappy about it as I am, and look through the peephole in the door to see, Annabeth!

**Outside the Door**

The door opens in front of Annabeth and startles both of us as her father, adorned in an old bathrobe tackles us both and smothers us in a great bear hug.  
"What are you two doing here? And how did you two get here?"  
"We came to stop by for the day and talk about something that will make you guys really excited, and well, Percy should explain how we got here."  
"Come inside you two then."  
We enter the house and I am surprised, he has repainted the walls and even got new furniture since the last time I was here.  
"Nice decor, though, I must ask, why change from the old stuff?"  
"Well, it was quite, you know, old."  
"Wife didn't like it anymore?" I ask.  
"Wife didn't like it anymore." He answers glumly.  
"Well, it looks nice though."  
"Thank you, I quite like it myself." Says Annabeth's step-mom as she comes downstairs.  
"You guys should chill on the couch while I fix breakfast."  
"Actually, Dad? Mom? would you two please come in here?" Annabeth asks timidly.  
"What is wrong honey?" Her step-mom asks warily.  
I take over because Annabeth is looking uncomfortable about this. "Nothing is wrong, we just need to tell you something amazing."  
"Oh my God, Annabeth, you're pregnant. Percy Jackson I'm gonna -"  
"What? Mom, No! I am not pregnant!"  
"What is it then?"  
"Please, come in here, I will explain everything, just take a seat." I say, playing the peacekeeper as per usual.  
Annabeth's step-mom comes into the living room and sits down right beside Mr. Chase.  
"Mr. and Mrs. Chase, Annabeth and I are engaged."  
"And we would like to formally give you an invitation to our wedding." Annabeth picks up.  
"Mom, Dad? Whats going on?" asks a young voice from the stairs.  
"Come here honey, your sister has something important to tell you."  
Annabeth's stepbrother slowly and sleepily waddles into the living room and sits on his mother's lap.  
"What do you want to tell me?" he asks.  
"You remember Percy right?"  
"Yeah, the cool, fun guy who came by a few years ago, and the guy you won't stop talking about."  
"Well, Percy and I are going to get married, and we would like you and your brother to be the ring bearers."  
"Cool, anything else?"  
"Bobby! Be nice, your sister is getting married! This is a big event."  
"Sorry Mom. Wow, cool! You're getting married! Awesome!" he says sarcastically.  
"Thank you Bobby. Now, please go and wake Matthew."  
"Yes Mom."  
Bobby races upstairs and out of earshot.  
"How long will you two be staying?"  
"Just for today Dad. We are going to see Percy's Mom tomorrow."  
"Oh, okay, when will the wedding be?"  
"In about three months, that should give us enough time to get everything together."  
"Tell us once you have a date set, okay?"  
"Will do Dad."  
"So what are you two going to do for the rest of the day today?"  
"Well, for starters, would you two mind if we went upstairs to take a nap for a little while, we have been driving all night."  
"Sure, your room is just how you left it Annabeth."  
"Thank you guys, come on Percy."  
"Hold on, Percy?"  
"Yes sir?"  
"Don't, you know, do anything yet."  
"The thought didn't even cross my mind sir."  
"Good, you two have a good rest now."  
We thanked them again and went upstairs. Annabeth's room was clean except for her desk area which was covered in blueprints. When I say covered, I literally mean covered. They were everywhere in that area, on the walls, on the floor, desk, chair, anywhere she could fit them.  
"Someone's been busy."  
"Oh shut up."  
"What?"  
From the look on her face I knew she wasn't finding any humor in this situation so I shut my mouth and did my best to suppress a grin.  
"Come on, lets get some rest." Annabeth said as she took off her shirt and jeans, climbing into her bed in her underwear.  
"And where am I supposed to sleep?" I ask, taking off my shirt and shorts.  
Her answer was clear enough, she scooted over to the side and opened up the covers, making space for me to climb in with her.  
In minutes we are drifting off to sleep.

_The hero has returned, very good, very good. A voice says from a black abyss in front of me._  
_Where am I? I ask._  
_Where you should be, in your dreams you are here, in reality you have not moved, but I am sure you know that, after all, you escaped my clutches once. It will not be so easy to do it again, I promise you._  
_Who are you?_  
_You should know, Percy._

The room starts to shake, I feel two hands on my arms as I scream out from surprise. I open my eyes to find Annabeth standing over me, still in her underwear.  
"Wake up! Percy! Wake Up!"  
"I'm up, I'm up! What happened, why are you shaking me?"  
"You were rolling around, and you fell off the bed. You were screaming and sweating all over the place. What were you dreaming about?"  
"I - I'm not sure. But whatever it is, we have met it before, and, it knew my name Annabeth, it knew my name."  
"Should we call off the wedding?"  
"NO! I mean, no, its alright, just a dream."  
"Percy, since when are Demigod dreams, just dreams?"  
"Just, forget about it, okay? It is meaningless."  
"Alright, we had best get dressed, lunch is ready."  
"Okay, what is for lunch?"  
"My Dad's world famous, grilled cheese."  
"Sounds delicious." I say while I pull on my pants.  
"It really is." Annabeth says as she pulls on her shirt and heads out the door and down the stairs. I follow closely after her.  
We get downstairs and her father looks at us funny.  
"What?"  
"What?"  
"You're looking at us funny."  
"I heard screaming and bumping and a loud thud upstairs coming from your room Annabeth. What was going on up there?"  
"Nothing Dad, Percy just had a nightmare."  
"What about the thud?"  
"He was thrashing around in his sleep and I shoved him out of the bed. That's all."  
"Yeah, Annabeth, about that, I think I hit something on my way down." I say while rubbing my leg.  
"Oh, shut up, you didn't even land on that side, and I pushed you from your back."  
"Okay, I give up. Mr. Chase, Annabeth mentioned that you made your world famous grilled cheese for lunch today."  
"Why as a matter of fact I did. How did she know?" He gives her a sideways glance.  
"I could smell it upstairs. It woke me up."  
"And Percy's kicking didn't?"  
"That only started after I was awakened by your cooking grilled cheese smell entered my nose."  
"Well then, you two should come and sit down at the table. I am about to start serving lunch."  
We enter the kitchen and the twins are sitting there nagging at each other, as usual.  
"Bobby, Frederic, stop it!" Their mother screams at them, "You two are giving me a headache!"  
"Mom, relax, I've got this." Annabeth says to her step-mom. "Boys, do you want to be uninvited to my wedding? I can always ask my dad to be the ring bearer."  
"No, please don't uninvite us." Says Bobby.  
"You are getting married?" Asked Frederic.  
"Since when is it emyour wedding?" I ask.  
"Yes I am getting married, start behaving and I will keep you invited, and Percy?"  
"Yes?"  
"Shut up."  
"Ooh, harsh man."  
"That goes for you too Bobby."  
"Haha!"  
"You too Frederic."  
"You still didn't answer my question."  
"I am trying to let Frederic figure out who I am marrying."  
"Oh, okay."  
"Hey, mom?" Frederic asks.  
"Yes sweetie?"  
"Can Percy sit next to me? I don't want to have to look at Bobby's face."  
"Hey, we look exactly the same!" Bobby exclaims.  
"Frederic, be nice to your brother, and I don't think it would be wise to separate Percy from his fiancẻ before they talk to his mother."  
"Who is his fiancẻ?" Frederic asks, trying and failing to pronounce the new word.  
"Try to guess who it is." Annabeth says.  
"It emcan't be you because you are getting married. Is it that redhead girl who came here with you that one time, what was her name, Rachael?" Frederic, the oblivious one, asks.  
"No, its not her, and I brought her here last year because she insisted on me taking her on a road trip to get away from her parents. Guess again" I add in the reason for her visit because I see the look on Annabeth's face when her brother said that. "Annabeth, you know nothing could ever possibly happen between me and Rachael because she is supposed to be an eternal maiden because of her being the oracle in all. Besides, I would never cheat on you because I emlove you, that is why I asked emyou and not anyone else."  
"Ooh, ooh, ooh, I know the answer now!" Frederic says whilst frantically waving his hand in the air as if trying to get a teacher's attention at school.  
"Yes, Frederic, who do you think it is?"  
"My sister!" He says excitedly.  
"Correct!" Annabeth and I say in unison before bursting out laughing. The two kids look at us like we are crazy, causing us to laugh more. Once we managed to stop laughing, I plant a quick kiss on Annabeth's lips, making her blush.  
"Percy, my family is watching." She says in a whiny voice before planting a kiss on my lips. I smile and then turn to Dr. Chase.  
"Where should we sit sir?"  
"If you all wait a moment, we can sit at the table on the back porch, it is too beautiful a day for us all to be cooped up inside."  
He quickly gathers placemats and utensils and I carry the tray holding his freshly made grilled cheese outside to the table out there. Once the table is set, we sit down as directed by Dr. Chase.  
On one side of the table, he and his wife sit. To their right and left are the twins. Directly across from Annabeth's Father and Stepmom, Annabeth and I sit. I pull out the chair for Annabeth and she sits down, I take my seat beside her and we all begin eating.  
"How long have you two been engaged for?" Her stepmother asks.  
"Four days now, he proposed the day that Leo came back. Perfect timing too." Annabeth said, looking at me suspiciously.  
"That is sweet, what did you say Percy?" Annabeth's mom asks.  
"Well, I got there and we ordered lunch to celebrate the fact that Leo wasn't dead and that he had gotten Calypso off of Ogygia. After we had finished eating I stood up and said 'I have a question to ask a very special someone without whom I would have died at the Battle of Manhattan and many times since, this person is very special to me and I want her to be by my side for the rest of our lives.' I then walked over to her and pulled the box out of my back pocket. She didn't see me holding it behind my back as I got down on one knee and pulled it out from behind me. I opened it and removed the ring. Taking her left hand I said, 'Annabeth, as I hold your hand right now, I ask you one simple question that will define what we do for the rest of our lives. Annabeth Chase, will you marry me?' And you all know what she said to me after I asked her otherwise we wouldn't be here right now and this conversation wouldn't be happening. I also wouldn't have gotten that convertible from my dad either."  
"Percy," Annabeth says as she punches me in the arm playfully.  
"How sweet, perfect timing and the perfect thing to say. I just have to ask you though, where did you buy those rings?"  
"Actually I didn't buy them." I say.  
Everyone looks at me like I just admitted that I was going to blow up the entire west coast of the United States.  
"You didn't?" Annabeth asks me.  
"No, actually, I had Leo make them for me."  
"How did he know the ring size I would need?"  
"I kinda took one of your rings and gave it to him, sorry."  
"Hahaha, I was wondering what happened to that ring I lost on the ship, before it was destroyed at least."  
"Yeah, that was me."  
"Percy, lets back up for a minute. You got a car?" Asks Dr. Chase  
"Yeah,"  
"From your dad, like Poseidon, or your mom's husband?"  
"Poseidon, I guess he cares more than he says he does."  
"This I have gotta see."  
"If you come out front, I will show you."  
"Cool, can we see it too?" Ask Bobby and Frederic at the same time.  
I chuckle, "Of course you can, finish your grilled cheese first though and wash your hands, I don't want any grease on the car before I show it to my mom."  
The twins scarf down their sandwiches and race inside to get to the bathroom. After a few moments of us all sitting there chuckling they come out and I stand up.  
"Dr. Chase, have you finished your meal?"  
"No, son, you don't have to do that, Helen, would you mind clearing the table while Percy shows the boys and I his car?"  
"Of course, go and take a look at that car of his." She chuckles.  
We all race excitedly through the house and out the front door. The last thing I hear from the back porch is Annabeth's stepmom saying, "Boys and their toys."  
We step out the front door and both the twins look at my car and stop. They are rooted in place out of sheer awe at the car.  
"What kind of car is it?" asks Dr. Chase.  
"I have no idea, I know it is a convertible but aside from that I have no idea."  
"You should call it the Percymobile." Frederic says, his eyes still glued to the sea blue car. Dr. Chase and I burst out laughing and Frederic looks at us, a hurt expression on his face.  
"Oh, no, its not the name we are laughing at, it was the look on your face when you said it. I really quite like the way it rolls off the tongue." I say, biting back chuckles.  
Frederic's face lights up at this and he shoves his brother to get him to stop staring at the car. Bobby stares daggers at him and walks towards the car.  
"This thing is cool, can we take a ride in it uncle Percy?"  
"When did you start calling me that?"  
"Just now, why?"  
"Because I wouldn't be your uncle, I would be your stepbrother in law." I say, and then I notice a confused expression on the twins faces.  
"What do you mean by that?"  
"Basically, me marrying your sister makes me your brother." I explain to them.  
"Oh, cool. Hey bro, can we take a ride in your car?"  
"Ask your dad."  
"Dad, can we take a ride in Percy's car?"  
"That is up to him, but I have to come with."  
"Fine by me. Dr. Chase, you get shotgun." I say, anticipating one of the twins saying it and then getting into a fight about it.  
We pile into the car and I start up the engine. Backing carefully out of the driveway I begin to take a quick drive around the block.  
"This car is so quiet, is it electric?" Dr. Chase asks.  
"I have no idea what it runs on, there is no fuel tank access point and there is no fuel gage, I guess we will find out sooner or later from Poseidon. I just hope it is before this car runs out of juice."  
"It is really smooth, this road is usually tossing us around, but in here there is hardly a bump."  
"I noticed that, and the tires are wierd too, they look like standard tires but they feel different."  
"How so?"  
"They are softer feeling, it is wierd but what about this car is normal."  
"Hey, Percy?"  
"Yes?"  
"Can we roll the windows down?"  
"I can do better, look up at the roof."  
As the twins look at the roof, I flip the switch that causes it to collapse behind the back seat. Their jaws drop and they look at their father as I roll the windows down and ask him, "Does your car do that?"  
"No, it certainly does not, although I wish it did."  
"Well kids, we are almost back at the house. Prepare to dock the Percymobile!" I say and the kids laugh as I make a "Whoosh!" sound as we pull into the driveway. I stop the car, roll up the windows and roll out the roof. The kids unbuckle and step out of the car as I take the keys out of the ignition and step out with Dr. Chase.  
"Well, its about time." Annabeth says as we step away from the car.  
Laughing I respond, "What got your panties in a bunch?"  
"Hey, there are children listening."  
"Hey kids, did you hear what I asked your sister?"  
"No!" They shout together.  
"See Annabeth, they aren't listening."  
"Shut up." She says playfully with a grin slapped on her face.  
We head inside and I fill in Annabeth about what happened when I showed her brothers the car.  
"The Percymobile? Ha!"  
"I think we should call it that, it seems your brothers really like me."  
"I still find it funny that they called you Uncle Percy."  
"We all did."  
"I like the way that you can entertain them like that, it seems you have not forgotten how you acted as a child."  
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"  
"I don't know, it depends on whether or not you remember that when we have kids."  
"Woah, woah, woah, slow down there girl, we haven't even gotten married yet and you are already thinking about having kids? I don't think we should think about that until a year or two after we are married."  
"I said emwhen we have kids, I never said how soon. Besides, I am not ready yet to have kids, I mean, come on, we're sophomores in college, kids can wait, we have to get jobs first, then we need to figure out where we are going to live, and -"  
"Annabeth?"  
"Yes Percy?"  
"Shut up. We will figure this out. First things first though, will we stay in New Rome or will we live at Camp Half Blood?"  
"How would we live at camp? I mean, they don't even have anywhere for you to live aside from the cabins and even then we cannot both stay in the Athena cabin or the Poseidon cabin no matter whether we are married or not. What would we do there anyway?"  
"Well, you could fix that."  
"Fix what?"  
"Fix the fact that Camp Half Blood doesn't have anywhere for the attendants to live outside of their cabins, we could build a town there where people can live, get married, have kids, go to school, our own Greek version of New Rome, and you would design it."  
"You're right, and then that way, we could raise our kids around all of our friends so that they grow up learning how to defend themselves against monsters."  
"See? Now lets stop thinking about having kids, it is starting to make me feel old."  
"Oh shut up Seaweed Brain."  
"Hey, Percy, would you like to play a game?" Bobby asks.  
"Sure, what game?"  
"Tag, you're it!"  
"Get back here!" I say playfully as Bobby runs off into the backyard where his brother is waiting.  
Annabeth sits there laughing, "I think they like you Percy."  
"I think so too, and you know what?"  
"What?"  
"If I'm playing tag, then you're playing too, tag you're it!" I say as I poke her arm and run off out the back door to follow her brothers.  
"Percy, always got somewhere to go."  
"You had better go after them before they avoid you for the rest of your stay."  
"I guess I'd better mom."  
"Oh, and Annabeth?"  
"Yes Mom?"  
"Don't let that one get away, he's quite a catch and he's lucky to have you."  
"And I am lucky to have him." With that, Annabeth takes off after us to join us out in the backyard for a friendly game of tag.  
Three Hours Later  
"Bye guys, thanks for dinner."  
"Are you two leaving so soon?"  
"Sorry but we have to, we are driving all the way to New York, if we want to make it there we need to leave now."  
"You can't just take a plane in the morning?"  
"No mom, Percy can't fly anywhere unless he's on Blackjack because Zeus would blast the whole plane apart with him inside."  
"Well, have a safe trip then, watch the roads, and get plenty of rest okay?"  
"Will do Mrs. Chase. Again, I apologize that we couldn't stay longer but I promised my mom that Annabeth and I would be there in three days and if we want to make it there then we need to get going, thanks for everything and I promise we will visit again soon."  
"I can't wait for it Percy, you two take care now."  
"Mom?"  
"Yes sweetheart, what is it?"  
"Can we say goodbye to Percy?"  
"Yes, come on, he is about to leave so make it quick."  
The twins come downstairs and run over to Annabeth and hug her tight. "We're going to miss you Annie."  
"Aww, I'm going to miss you too guys."  
They unlatch themselves from her and tackle me, causing a few laughs to escape my chest briefly.  
"I'm going to miss you Percy, have a safe trip." Frederic says before letting go and running back upstairs.  
"Percy?" Bobby says.  
"Yes?"  
"Take care of my sister you hear? She's the only one I got, treat her with the respect and dignity that she deserves and don't hurt her or else." He says looking me square in the eye.  
"I would expect to get that from her father, not her younger brother. Either way, I promise, and trust me, I am not letting her get away. I will see you soon." I give him a big hug and he smiles at me before racing upstairs to join his brother.  
"Come on Annabeth, we need to get going."  
"Bye!" We call together as we step out the door and onto the dim porch. The door closes behind us and we get into the car. Annabeth suddenly bursts out laughing, leaving me puzzled.  
"What's so funny?"  
"My brother, that's all."  
"What he said was kinda funny coming from him, but he meant it and I meant what I said too. Don't give me that look, I love you and you know it otherwise I wouldn't have proposed like I did or asked Leo to make the rings."  
"Speaking of rings, what did you do about the wedding rings?"  
"Oh, don't worry, I have that covered."  
"Are we going to invite our friends to he wedding?"  
"Yes, Leo's my best man!"  
"Well, I guess you two really hit it off then." She said with a yawn.  
"Ever since I first saw him, I thought he was just the kid who tells jokes all the time and then I heard that he built the Argo II and I began to see him for who he was, a true son of Hephaestus and, you know what? I am glad he made out engagement rings, it makes it more personal than if I had bought them from a stranger. Annabeth, are you listening?"  
I glance over at her for a moment to see that she has dozed off.  
"Sweet dreams, my love." I turn my eyes back to the wheel and drive all through the night.  
Three Days Later  
"Shh, they don't know we're here, come on, remember, be quiet, they're still sleeping.  
It is three in the morning and Annabeth and I have have just arrived at my moms house. We parked our car outside and are now heading into my bedroom as quietly as we can while suppressing laughs. Entering my room, I notice that mom has straightened up and that now I don't have to be embarrassed about Annabeth seeing my room like it usually is.  
"Come on, lets get some sleep before the sun comes up." I whisper.  
"Why? Can't we sleep until non like you usually do?" she whispers back.  
"No, because my mom and Paul usually are up about the time that the sun comes up."  
"I am guessing that you want to walk out there with me and lay down on the couch like it is any other day and you have come home for the summer?"  
"Essentially, yes."  
"And you didn't really tell your mom that you are coming did you?"  
"No, I didn't."  
"So you lied to my parents?"  
"Essentially yes, but I had to find a valid reason as to why not to stay another night so that we could surprise my mom like this."  
"It was pretty ingenious, what would you have done if we got here before night hit and they went to bed?"  
"I dunno, I was counting on us getting here when we did and luckily, it turned out perfectly. Come on, lets get some rest."  
Annabeth and I strip down to our underwear and I climb into my bed, making room for her to fit in my arms, I motion her to lay down. She fits perfectly and I wrap my arms protectively around her while draping the blankets over us. A few minutes later we are drifting off to sleep.  
I feel the bed shake as Annabeth gently climbs out. Opening my eyes, I see the sun starting to rise over the harbor. Swiftly, I slide out of bed and pull on my pants. Annabeth is still half asleep and so I take my t-shirt and pull it over her head. She pushes her arms through the sleeves and I guide her gently with my hand on her back over to my bedroom door. Opening it as quietly as I can, we step out into the hallway and I guide her to the end of the hall.  
We stop for a moment as I listen for voices and sure enough, I am rewarded with the sound of my mom and Paul talking quietly in the living room so as not to disturb their neighbors. I guide Annabeth out into the living room and say to her, "Go over there and sit next to my mom while I fix you a cup of coffee."  
My mom jumps up when she hears my voice and races over to where Annabeth and I are standing. Crushing us in a bear hug she exclaims, "When did you two get here? You should have called!"  
The sudden hug from my mother jars Annabeth awake, "Surprise," she says as she starts to giggle.  
"Hey, mom, could you please lead Annabeth to the couch, she seems to be a bit giggly this morning, I am going to fix her some coffee." I say while gently laughing at my mother's reaction.  
She leads Annabeth over to the couch while Annabeth continues giggling uncontrollably. I race into the kitchen and fix her some coffee as fast as I can before carefully walking into the living room so as not to spill it. I sit next to Annabethand hand her the coffee. She takes a big gulp of it and her giggling begins to stop.  
"Percy, why is Annabeth wearing one of your shirts, and why is there a ring on her, oh my god, you two are married aren't you."  
"Not quite, she is my fiancé."  
"Mrs. Jackson, we would like you to be formally invited to our wedding."  
"When will it be?"  
"In about three months mom, we haven't exactly decided on a date yet, it all depends on what Dad finds convenient because he is going to be arranging it all."  
"Paul, did you know anything about this?" My mom asks.  
"This is the first I've heard about it."  
"Then what does Percy mean by- oh, I get it, you mean Poseidon."  
"Yes, Aphrodite showed up offering to get all the gods to attend but we just wanted it to be an immediate family and friend matter, the other gods are welcome to watch it on Hephaestus TV. I did ask her to invite Poseidon and Athena though. I am sure that Zeus will agree that the marriage of Olympian children is a matter that gods are allowed to interfere with directly, especially because we saved their asses twice now."  
"Percy, language!"  
"Sorry mom."  
"So, Percy, tell me all about how you and Annabeth got engaged."  
I tell her the same thing that I told Mrs. Chase and my mom's eyes tear up from joy.  
"That is soo sweet, Annabeth, he's a good boy, you take care of him for me, promise?"  
"I promise Mrs. Jackson."  
"Please, call me mom." She says with a smile.  
Annabeth and I while the day away with Paul and my mom. Eventually I bring up my engagement gift from my dad. Paul insists on seeing it so I lead him outside with my mother and Annabeth and we show them the car. They both are excited that I no longer need to pay for gas and that the car is environmentally friendly. Suddenly a familiar voice calls out from down the lot.  
"Percy?"  
"G-man? Is that you?" I turn around to see Grover running over, followed by Tyson and his girlfriend, the red harpy Ella.  
"Brother!" Tyson shouts as he flies at me, crushing me in a bear hug.  
"Percy is nice to Ella, Percy is good for harpies. Tyson is Ella's boyfriend, Ella likes Tyson." Ella says as she flies over in our direction. Tyson's face turns red when Ella says that about him.  
"Tyson, could you please let go? I can't breathe . . ." I huff out weakly.  
Tyson lets go, his big brown eye tearing up with joy at seeing me. Grover gets over to us and says, "Woah, who's car?"  
"That would be mine Grover, and don't worry, it is totally gas free, and I don't think it is electric. Tyson, do you know how this car works?"  
"Yes, Daddy had me help build it for you with the other cyclopes, he even helped us to find the stuff to make it. He said something about only one of his kids or could drive it, and it is magic, monsters cannot smell you in there, it will keep you safe. Do you like it?"  
"Like it, no. Bro, I love it, thanks so much."  
Grover looks at me and Annabeth, "There is something different about you two, I smell, is that gold?"  
"What you are smelling Grover, is our engagement rings. Leo made them."  
"Fire man made your rings?"  
"Yes Tyson, Leo made our rings. Do you know what me and Annabeth being engaged means?"  
"What?"  
"Annabeth will be your sister!"  
"Percy." Annabeth said in a whiny voice before Tyson turned to her and enveloped her in a great bear hug.  
"Sister!" He says while crushing my fiancé in his arms.  
"Tyson, she actually is not your sister yet and she won't be for about three months. You guys are all invited to the wedding by the way."  
"Can - you - get - him - off - me - please - Percy. - I - can't - breathe!" Annabeth gasps weakly.  
"Tyson, would you please let go of Annabeth, she needs to breathe you know."  
He looks down at her as her face turns purple and he lets her go. "Sorry,"  
"It's *cough* okay big guy *cough* *cough*" Annabeth wheezes.  
"Okay, why don't we all go inside and lets have some lunch." Paul says.  
I totally forgot he was there and I have no idea what he sees as far as Ella goes, but I am pretty sure it is not what she really looks like with her bright, ruby red feathers.  
We go inside, Ella is complaining the whole time we are riding the elevator but we reach the right floor and the doors open, she is amazed to see that we've moved. Tyson manages to get her out of the elevator and he leads her to my mom's apartment.  
"Ella wants to ride the shiny box again. Ella wants to ride the shiny box again. Shiny box moved Ella without Ella moving. Shiny magic box is good for Ella."  
Tyson beams with pride, and honestly, I am glad that he is happy with Ella.  
"What have you been doing G-man?"  
"I was walking around Central Park when I bumped into Tyson and Ella. Tyson said he smelled Percy here and I sniffed around, caught your scent, along with Annabeth's, and we followed our noses, finding you all in the parking lot looking at your new car."  
"So, Tyson, how have things with you and Ella been?"  
"Fun, Ella likes to have lots of fun. She likes that place with the moving pictures."  
"The movie theater?"  
"Ella likes movies. Movies are good for harpies. Tyson takes Ella to movies a lot. Ella loves Tyson."  
Tyson blushed deeply when she says this.  
"So, Percy, Annabeth, how has school been?" Grover asked.  
"Oh, New Rome's school is amazing. Percy is studying to be an oceanographer and I am studying to be an architect and their architecture program is amazing."  
"I was surprised that they had any sea related majors there at the college, especially at the college Annabeth is in, considering the fact that Romans hated the sea because their navy sucked and it was harder for them to move their troops about in the water."  
"Oh, Annabeth, tell him about your plans for camp."  
"Oh yeah, Grover, I was planning on taking what New Rome has and adapting that concept for us at Camp Half Blood. Seeing as how Camp Jupiter has been able to make it work I think that . . ." She and Grover walk off into the next room as she goes on about her plans for it.  
I look at my mom and find her smirking at me. "What?"  
"I can't remember the last time I've seen you this happy."  
"What do you mean by that mom?"  
"What I mean is, I think that you're ready to marry Annabeth."  
"Thanks mom."  
Suddenly, there is a knocking on the door. "Who could that be?" Mom wonders aloud as she walks over to the door and looks to see who it is.  
She nearly jumps out of her socks with surprise and she races to undo the latch and throw open the door.  
"Who is it mom?" I ask.  
"Now, is that any way to greet your father and the mother of your fiancé?" Asks a familiar voice.  
"Dad?"  
"Congratulations son on your engagement."  
"Yes, yes, congratulations and all that, I just came because of my daughter, this does not mean that I approve but I guess I will have to tolerate you though." Athena says.  
"Mom?" Annabeth asks from the kitchen. She pokes her head out and when she catches a glimpse of her mother, she races over and hugs her tight. Athena's expression softens and she hugs her daughter back.  
"Congratulations on your engagement. Here, this is for you." She says as she pulls out a small box.  
"What is it?"  
"Open it and find out."  
Annabeth wastes no time and she opens the box. Her face lightens up when she holds up the contents of the box, a silver beaded bracelet with little owls on each bead.  
"This will keep you safe from harm, as long as you wear it, you cannot be hurt by anyone. At least, physically."  
"Thank you mom, I love it, beautiful and effective. Just like us."  
Athena smiles and then looks at me.  
"If you so much as hurt my daughter in any way from here on, I will kill you personally."  
"Oh, come on Athena, today is for our kids, let our grudge against eachother not interfere with their happiness, in fact, when is the wedding, we got your invitation from Aphrodite."  
"She was unhappy that she was not invited even though she understands your reasons. She did promise that you both would recieve a present from her on your wedding day."  
"We will need to send her a thank you note I guess, oh and Dad, thanks for the car, it will really come in handy. The wedding though is in three months. Do you think that you will be able to put it together for us so that we can get a date set?"  
"Do I have to?"  
"Seeing as Athena is totally against the idea of Annabeth and I getting married and you are totally for it, we figured that with you also being a god, that you could give us a hand."  
"I will but I will need help from my brothers and their wives, Hera especially."  
"Aphrodite, stop hiding, we know you are in the hallway." Athena said.  
"Aww, but you ruined all the fun." Aphrodite said while walking into the apartment.  
"Aphrodite, Annabeth and I will be needing you to ask Hermes to send an invitation to our wedding to Hades and Persephone. and for you to ask Zeus and Hera to come as well please."  
"Anything for my favorite love story this side of history." She says before disappearing in a puff of pink glitter and designer perfume, leaving all of us coughing.  
"Well, she has a way of doing things that is certainly all her." Poseidon says before turning to Paul. "Hey, teacher guy."  
"Paul."  
"Yeah, Paul, how are you taking care of Sally? Is she doing alright?"  
"You could ask me yourself P." She says appearing suddenly from the kitchen with a tray of blue chips and blue dip.  
"She is still doing the blue food thing?" Annabeth whispered to me.  
"Yeah, it is kinda a habit now more than anything else it seems." I whisper back.  
"Lets try and make our kids understand about that without telling them about Smelly Gabe." Annabeth says, emitting a chuckle at my reaction to that.  
"Stop talking about us having kids, put it out of your mind for a good long while. You know neither of us is ready."  
"I know neither of you are ready and Percy? Watch how you talk to my daughter, understand?" Athena says, startling both me and Annabeth.  
"Understood, m'lady." I say before putting my arm around Annabeth and joining the others as they all dig into the blue chips and dip.  
Three Months Later  
Everyone Cheers as Annabeth steps out from behind the curtain, wearing her beautiful white dress, her mother by her side as she walks down the aisle. I am standing at the end, my dad behind me and Leo to my left. I am facing her in my white tux which I rented from the same place she rented her dress from. Behind Annabeth were her stepbrothers, each carrying a little box in their hands. Following them were my mom and Paul with Helen and Dr. Chase bringing up the rear. As my mom and her dad reach the front row they separate and sit down on the bleachers on either side.  
The first row contains my mother and Paul on one side and Annabeth's father and stepmom on the other. Behind them sit Zeus and Hades. Persephone is standing beside Hera in the middle of the gazebo where I am standing. Behind the two gods are all of our close friends and behind them were the rest of the people from Camp Half Blood and about a quarter of the Roman Legionnaires in their armor. Annabeth arrives by my side and we turn around to face Hera and Persephone as Athena steps to Annabeth's side and takes her place beside Thalia.  
Hera reads the marital blessings given by both Poseidon and Athena and asks for their consent again and both of them nod. Hera then says a few words in Ancient Greek, blessing our marriage and then she nods to Persephone who pulls a bouquet out from behind her back and hands it to Annabeth. She takes is in her right hand and I grab it as well in my right hand.  
Annabeth's brothers bring up the boxes one at a time, first, the one containing Annabeth's ring, the other containing mine. I place the ring on Annabeth's finger and she does the same to me. Our hands never leave the bouquet between us. As we place the rings on each others fingers Hera speaks aloud in English, "Let these rings symbolize the union of these two heroes, the pride of Olympus and savior of the Gods. Let them be forever faithful to one another and to spend the rest of their days together. Of this I now ask each of you, Annabeth Chase, will you watch over Perseus and keep him safe, honoring him as a wife should, to remain faithful and loyal to him even in death?"  
"I so swear it."  
"Perseus Jackson, will you watch over Annabeth and keep her safe, honoring her as a husband should, to remain faithful and loyal to her even in death?"  
"I so swear it."  
"Then now, as the Gods being witness to this union and with our divine approval, I Hera, goddess of marriage, announce you two wed and your union, complete."  
As soon as she says this Annabeth and I together throw the bouquet and she wraps her arms around my neck as I place my hands on her waist and pull her into a deep and long kiss. Our hearts beat as one as the noise of everyone's cheering sems to dissipate as we embrace the beginning of our new lives together as a married couple.  
We break off the kiss and everyone rushes in, carrying us off towards my car. They set us down and Annabeth and I climb in and drive off to the ballroom that Poseidon reserved for us to go for the party after the wedding was over. Pulling into the parking lot, I find a fotographer standing there, ready to take our photo once we stepped out of our car. I throw my arm around her shoulder and she wraps hers around mine and we make a goofy face at the camera and he takes a picture. Smiling, we enter the ballroom and find balloons all over the floor and the tables all set up for us to begin the party. In the corner was the changing room so that we could change out of these outfitts so as not to ruin them because they are rentals.  
Entering the changing room, we help eachother to get undressed. I check my pockets to make sure that I emptied them and then we put on our usual jeans and Camp Half Blood t-shirts. We fold up our wedding outfits and exit the changing room to find that everybody else has now arrived. Annabeth and I take our places at the table at the front of the ballroom and the cake was rolled out. on top were two plastic figures, one was a blonde girl with a small bronze knife and the other was a dark haired boy with a bronze sword. They were standing back to back in fighing stances but their free hands were held and on the sides of the cake were frosting monsters climbing up a cliff. The photographer took a picture of the cake and Annabeth was handed a knife. I took her hand and together we cut the cake. We removed the figures on top and found that the hands interlock but they also separate so that they don't break.  
Annabeth and I each get the first slices of cake and we interweave our arms and take a bite, of eachother's cake! Everyone burst out laughing and we decided, with a look, to make them laugh even harder. So, we take our plates and shove the cake into eachother's faces, extracting a good sized laugh from everyone, including ourselves. The photographer snapped a picture of that before we wipe eachother's face off. Once all the icing was out of our face and hair, the music started playing and Annabeth and I went out onto the dace floor.  
"Try not to step on my toes this time Seaweed Brain."  
"Don't worry Wise Girl, I've been practicing." With that, I spin her around and then set my hand back on her waist as she regains her composure.  
"I can see that you have."  
I continue to dance with her for a long time and then we decide to sit down and relax. The party is a lot of fun and we thuroughly enjoy it. Once it ends and everyone starts leaving, I ask Annabeth, "Where would you like to go tonight? Camp Half Blood and the new section you are building? My mom's apartment? Rent a hotel room for tonight?"  
"I have the perfect place, we can even live there after college."  
"Where is it?"  
"First, get us to Half Blood Hill."  
I drive there as fast as I legally can and in only three hours we are parked at the bottom of the hill.  
"Close your eyes Percy."  
"Why?"  
"Because I am going to surprise you with this special place of mine."  
"Okay, my eyes are closed."  
"I'm not falling for that old trick." Annabeth says as she lays her hands from behind over my half closed eyes. She leads me through the camp and from what I hear, down to the beach. She spins me around and pulls her hands off of my eyes and says, "Alright, you can look now."  
I open my eyes and I am rewarded with the sight of a two story beach house. "Wow, Annabeth, did you design this?"  
"It was the first building built for our new town. What should we call the town?"  
"Sparta."  
"Why?"  
"First because the movie 300 is cool, second because we train demigods to survive and kill monsters, sparta trained men to survive and kill monsters and men, also because just a handful of us kept the titans away from Olympus for a while. Long enough for Hades to come in packing reinforcements."  
"I like it."  
"Come on, lets go inside."  
"Okay."  
Annabeth and I head inside the house. She gives me a tour of it and she makes our bedroom the last stop. As soon as we enter that room I take her face in my hands and kiss her passionately. Our breath becomes heavy and I reach for the hem of her shirt. Taking a firm hold I break off our kiss long enough to pull it over her head and my shirt followed.  
I climb in beside her and she turns to face me. Pressing her body against my chest, I wrap my arms protectively around her and whisper into her ear before we drift off to sleep, "I will never let anything happen to you, I so swear it."  
Moments later, we are both sleeping soundly, not caring what tomorrow brings but confident because we have eachother and that is all that matters, we have the beginnings of our family and nothing will take that away from us.


	5. Chapter 4

I step out of bed and pull on my pants. The sun is shining through the windows as I walk out of the room, looking back, I see Annabeth still lying asleep in the bed. Warmth floods through my veins as I approach the sea, just outside the front door. As I step outside I see my car sitting in front of the stairs.

I step around it and find myself drawn out onto the beach. Stepping into the water I feel myself waking up and becoming more alert. A sudden scream from down the beach catches my attention and I run in that direction.

"Help! Help! Shark!"

There is a woman swimming frantically towards the shore on a surfboard. I reach out and feel that familiar tug in my gut as I will the water to take the woman swiftly to shore. The shark is still following, stuck in the wake of the wave. Both woman and shark wash up on the beach. The water recedes and leaves the shark lying, struggling for air and asking why I stopped a free meal. I will the waves to pick up the shark and carry it off into the water.

It swims away and I run over to the woman to see if she is alright.

"Are you hurt?"

"No, why did you just stand there?"

"It is kinda hard to explain."

"You're hurt."

"She looks down at her leg and for the first time notices that she has a long gash on her calf. "That's new."

"Come on, lets get you to the house."

I lift her up and carry her into the house. I hear Annabeth in the living room and shout out, "Annabeth, come quick!"

She races into the kitchen and asks, "Percy whats- oh." She sees the leg wound and clears off the table, making room for me to lie the girl down.

"My, my pouch, there is something in there that will help me to get better."

I open up the pouch around her waist and am startled to find, "Ambrosia. Annabeth, go get Chiron, tell him we have a new camper."

Annabeth wraps her robe around herself and runs out the door and into camp. I feed the girl a couple of Ambrosia cubes and her leg wound begins to knit itself back together and the bleeding stops. She sits up and looks at me funny.

"You just stood there on the beach and a wave took me safely to shore and the shark looked at you and another wave carried it back out and the sea calmed, are you like me?"

"Sort of, we are -"

"Half bloods, I know, part god, part human."

"Yes, do you know who your godly parent is?"

"Yes, his name is Neptune."

"That makes you my - Oh no."

I run to the front door as Chiron arrives at the door. "Where is she?" He asks.

"In the kitchen, Chiron, she's my sister."

"What?"

"Yes, she is a daughter of Neptune."

"That's impossible."

"She said that was who he was."

"Are you sure?"

"I am absolutely positive."

"Where did you find her?"

"Look for the blood stain on the beach, you should find a surfboard right beside it."

"Percy, what happened when you found her?"

"He saved my life, from a shark sent by Chaos to kill me."

"Chiron this is . . ."

"Leslie, Leslie Jacobson."

"Well, Leslie Jacobson, we have much to talk about, including how it is that you exist."

"That is simple, I was born back during WWII."

"How are you here now?"

"Death forgot to take me back to the Underworld, so I decided to come here, where I remember Camp Jupiter. What is this place?"

"Camp Half Blood, the Greek version of Camp Jupiter, still fixing up after the new additions were made by Annabeth."

"A child of Minerva I see."

"You aren't shocked?"

"Nah, my old boyfriend was as well."

"What was his name?"

"Peter Jackson."

"My Great Uncle Peter, but that means, this is impossible."

"We were engaged, before I died."

"That makes you, my Great Aunt."

"Yes, Minerva's blood runs through you."

"Actually, it would be the blood of Athena, which means, Percy, we are way distant cousins."

"I hope distant enough for us to still be able to be married."

"I don't see any problem with that." Chiron interrupted, "But I think we have a more pressing matter, the fact that we have a Daughter of Neptune, a former member of the Roman Legion, who should be dead, twice."

"That is actually not so much of a problem. Although, Percy, I wonder how you do that thing with the water, I have never been able to do that."

"I really don't know, I just kinda will it to happen and it does."

"Percy, we really should be going. I am sure your sister will be comfortable rooming with Tyson and Ella in the Poseidon Cabin."

"We have more siblings?"

"Well, not exactly, Tyson is a cyclops and Ella is Tyson's girlfriend, a harpy."

"What a weird family we have hey bro?"

"Sure, whatever you say Grams."

Leslie gives me a dirty look before walking back to camp with Chiron.

"Chaos is rising, this is bad, this is really bad."

"Who exactly is Chaos?"

"Chaos is the God or Goddess of darkness, he, or she, literally controls the dark and the evil in the world."

"How did Chaos control that shark though?"

"Chaos must have found something dark in that shark and used that to try and kill her before she could warn us about anything. Percy, is something wrong?"

I suddenly feel sick, my limbs go limp and I collapse on the ground, I hear Annabeth yelling and screaming at me to get up but I can't move. Vaguely I am aware of her carrying me into the house and lying me on the bed, force feeding me Abrosia. I cough, once, twice, three times, and I sit up.

"Percy, what happened? You turned all pale and collapsed, I thought you were having a heart attack."

"I - I don't know, I don't remember." After I say that, I feel a stabbing pain in my gut, I scream out as the world goes dark.


	6. Chapter 5

_Yes little hero, give yourself over to me, I control you now, you are mine to toy with. Your power will bring about the destruction of Olympus. This time, their champion will become their undoing. Yes, Poseidon's child, I now have you in my grasp._

A voice speaks in my head. _Get out of my head! _I think at it.

_Never Perseus, the turmoil, the battle agains light and dark within you has bred chaos and by opening your mind to my servant, you have opened yourself up to me and now I feed on your chaotic spirit, your strength is as boundless as the sea and through you, the sea is mine. _I feel my will dying and I begin to no longer care what happens to me anymore.

I feel myself standing up and drawing Riptide out from my pocket. Hearing Annabeth scream shakes me back into reality. _I am Percy Jackson, I have just gotten married to Annabeth Chase Jackson. I love her and I will not hurt her, EVER! _"NO!" I scream and slam Riptide's blade into the counter right beside Annabeth. She looks at me, stunned.

"Grab the sword!" I scream as I drop it and clutch my ears, screaming in pain. "AAAHH! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

Voices outside, great, that is the last thing I need right now.

"Percy, stop!" Annabeth screams at me over the wind. Thats funny, I didn't notice the wind until now. "Percy! You are causing a Hurricane!"

"Annabeth, you have to, AHHH!"

"Have to what Percy? What do I have to do?"

"I need you to - AHHH!"

"To what, What do you need?"

"Knock me OUT! AAAAAHHHHH!"

Annabeth takes my sword and slams the pommel as hard as she can into my skull, causing me to crumple to the floor where the voice stops, the wind dies down, and everything goes black.

"Shhh! everybody, he's waking he is, look, well, at least he looks okay."

I wake up to hear murmurring in the background, the voices of the other campers, before Annabeth shushes them. My eyes flutter open and the first things I see are those two big grey, beautiful eyes of Annabeth's, I tear my glance away from them and look over to the right and see a pair of unfamiliar blue-green eyes.

"Its about time you woke up bro."

"Wha- Leslie? What are you doing here? Why am I in bed?" I try to sit up but a bunch of straps stop me from rising more than a few inches. "And why am I strapped down in bed?"

"You Kinda attacked Annabeth here with your sword before freaking out."

"What do you mean? Freaked out?"

"Well, Percy, you came at me with your sword, hit the counter with it, dropped it, and screamed at me before clutching your ears, telling me to knock you out, so I hit you in the head with your sword. Percy, when you were freaking out, your eyes kept wavering from purplish-black to green. I think someone was inside your head messing around with your mind."

"Someone was, and I know who it was too, it was Chaos with a capital C."

"Well Percy, if you are right," Chiron said. "Then this is bad with a capital B"

" Not a time for jokes Chiron, my husband just got his mind toyed with by Caos."

"Speaking of which, would it be at all possible that you guys loosen or remove these restraints?"

"Not until we are sure that whatever it was that allowed Chaos to enter your mind is gone and that you won't try to kill Annabeth again because right now she is the most important woman at camp."

"Why is that?"

"Percy, I - I'm pregnant."

I tried to wrap my head around it, we slept together for one night, our wedding night, and already she was pregnant. This is wonderful news, but we weren't ready for it just yet. Annabeth's eyes started tearing up, probably because I had a horrified look on my face. _Come on Perce, snap out of it, she is your wife, and you have to be there for her no matter what._ "Its okay Annabeth, we can get through this, we just need to figure out what to do now, and I still need to be untied, its not like anything bad is going to happen with you guys all sitting around here."

Connor Stoll untied me and I sat up and enveloped Annabeth into a massive hug. Her form began to quake as tears rolled down her cheeks, the crying I had anticipated beginning to come up.

"Shh, there there, Annabeth, I'm here, its okay. You're fine. I am not going anywhere, I promise."

"Percy, what will we do if the baby comes at school?"

"There are plenty of doctors there who can help if need be. We will be just fine."

Annabeth looks at me with her red, tear stained, beautiful grey eyes. "I'm tired Percy."

"I think we all are, lets all get some sleep. I will see you at the house as soon as I am released from this place."

Annabeth nods and walks out of the door, followed by my sister, Leslie. Everyone else leaves and I roll over and fall asleep.

Two Months Later

_Rumble, rumble, rumble. _The ground quakes beneath me, increasing in severity, I wonder how I am still standing then I realize that I am not standing, I am lying down in the hospital tent at Camp Half Blood. _What is that rumbling and where is it coming from? _I wonder. Suddenly, I hear a scream, but not just any scream, it was Annabeth's scream, followed by a loud _CRASH!_ As if a building had just collapsed, realizing what this might mean, I leap out of the bed, breaking the straps on it holding me down, and I race down to the beach to fing Leslie outside on her knees, crying into her hands. In front of her is the remains of the house Annabeth built for us.

"Annabeth!" I scream and I pull Riptide out from my pocket. The bronze blade extends as I swing it to break up pieces of wood, hacking my way through to the center of the house used to be, where our bedroom was. I find a cavity and inside it, was Annabeth lying down on her back, her brathing labored and a piece of wood impaling itself into her belly where I can only assume the baby is. I suddenly am not just worried about Annabeth but also about my child. I cut away the wood all around her but I leave the wood inside her belly as I cut her free. It thankfully only went far enough to embed itself into her but it did not go all the way through. I lift her prone body up out of the wreckage of our home of a few months.

"Leslie, go and get the Apollo cabin, tell them we need their best healers, there are two lives on the line right here!"

Leslie races into camp, crying the wole way. Minutes later, a swarm of Apollo campers charge onto the scene. They see me and Annabeth and the broken house and they race over, taking Annabeth from me and running off leaving a few more to watch me and Leslie comes over to me, still crying.

"Percy, I am soo sorry, this is all my fault."

"No, Leslie, this is not your fault, none of this is your fault."  
"I am afraid it is Percy, I caused the earthquake that did this to Annabeth. I was having a nightmare and -"

She stops speaking as my fist connects with her jaw, nocking her to the ground. The other Apollo campers swarm me and hold me back, covering my mouth so I cannot say anything while she explains what happened, while rubbing her jaw.

"As I was trying to say, I was having a nghtmare about the war and I caused this earthquake, the fear did that to me, it was almost as if I were back in the field with your grandfather the day that I died, I was so afraid, and that fear made the earthquake. I caused this, Percy, I am soo sorry, I really hope Annabeth and the baby make it through this okay."

I stop struggling and drop to the ground, the gag falling from my mouth as I begin to cry into my hands, realizing what has just happened and what I have just done. I have never, ever in my life, hit a girl before, and I never meant to hit her but my anger got the better of me, and my concern for Annabeth and this surprise unborn child of ours.

I am lead to the hospital tent and I wait outside as I hear the Apollo healers conducting surgery on Annabeth. She has just begin to show only slightly, and now I may be possibly looking at losing both of them? This is just too hard to handle.

Collapsing to me knees again, I begin to cry and as the sobs rack my body I feel a cold hand grip my whole body as a dark and ancient voice speaks into my thoughts. _Yes boy, the chaos in you is delicious, come, find me in the deepest pits of Tartatus, return to me and fulfill your destiny, there is nothing more for you here, come to me, and be the instrument for the destruction of Olympus and the gods. Do what the Titans, Giants, and Gaea couldn't do, destroy the Gods, they deserve no less.  
_Something about that voice pisses me off, I am not sure if it is the way it hints that Annabeth is going to die, or that it is telling me to betray all of my friends and kill the gods. I am pretty sure it is because of the way it says that Annabeth is as good as dead because I scream at that voice, _You are the reason Annabeth is hurt, cabins can be rebuilt, but my wife is irreplaceable, you WILL get out of my head or I will tell Athena who it was that hurt Annabeth like this and she can get all the gods to go down to Tartarus and kick your sorry ass plus both camps. Imagine that, six thousand demigods and about another hundred thousand assorted gods and nymphs, how long do you think you will last against that? _Believing I had won, I let down my defenses.

_And what makes you think that all of you will manage to ever leave that pit alive again? Think Perseus, I offer you a better life than that which you are living. Take my offer, and your friends will be spared._

I laugh at this, and shake my head. _You need me, you need me to do your bidding because you cannot destroy olympus without me, well I am sorry to tell you but you are just going to have to find another son of Poseidon to do your dirty work because I am not going to ever listen to you AGAIN! _With that said mentally, I feel a huge gust of wind and the pressure on my skull which I had not noticed before suddenly dissapated and I was left to absorb myself again back into my tears.

After sitting outside for about three hours, the sun began to peek over the horizon. An Apollo camper came outside and looked at me.

"We managed to save Annabeth."

"And my child?"

"Unfortunately, the wood went straight through the fetus, I am sorry, we did everything we could, your child was lost."

I bravely stood up and went into the tent, my head held high. Annabeth was sitting there, her back propped up with pillows, eyes red. Nothing was said as I approached but once I stood there, by her side, we embraced eachother in a hug and out tears began to fall as we sobbed into eachother's arms, comforting eachother with our tears.

For the next three months, we rebuilt the house and buried our child out back, the first child of two halfbloods in Camp Half Blood, and it doesn't make it more than two months. Not knowing what the gender was, we decided to name "her" Janett Chase Jackson. That was all done the first two weeks, the rest of the next three months was Annabeth recovering from her wounds and us getting our lives back into some semblance of normalcy. Our godly parents stopped by and they had come to congratulate us on the baby but then they saw the grave out back as they came towards the house and their moods went from happy, to melancholy. Their gifts seemed somewhat inappropriate and so they left them at the grave. A scale replica of the Trojan Horse and a scale replica of the Titanic were left at the grave. Both of those events in history linked to the toys caused so much death that leaving it at the grave of our child seemed almost fitting in a way.

After that visit we spent the rest of the last two months in summer getting Annabeth back into the swing of things and Chiron notified our profssors to go easy on us because we just lost our child before she was born.

Arriving at our new dorm at school seemed a bit depressing and we just sort of went through the motions for the first month of school. Finally, we decided to try and get out a bit more instead of sticking to our usual routine. Ten thirty, wake up, get dressed, and shower. Eleven thirty, eat breakfast. Twelve thirty, get to class. Four fifteen, arrive back home, do homework and proceed to mope about and cry about loss of child until dinner, after dinner, go to bed crying about loss of child.

So, first thing that Saturday, we met our friends at the plaza for lunch. They were surprised to see us, especially Leo and Calypso, who were sucking face when Annabeth and I showed up, startling everyone except Leo and Calypso who had continued to stubbornly suck face and ignore the world. Annabeth looked at me in astonishment.

"Don't they ever have to come up for air?" Annabeth asks

This elicits a laugh from everybody and brings an abrupt halt to Leo and Calypso's intense make out session.

Leo stares daggers at us before realizing that Annabeth and are out of our dorm room. He assaults us with a hug, followed closely by Calypso and the others. After Annabeth and I excavated ourselves from their death hug, we managed to find a seat and we began to talk about anything but what had happened at camp over the summer, until Leslie came over that is.

"Hey bro, whats up?"

"Bro?" Leo asks confuzedly.

"Sorry, everyone, this is my half sister Leslie, she is a daughter of Neptune and also my great great grandmother. She died but with that fiasco about three years ago, she came back and washed up onshore at Camp Half Blood. So, there you go. And evidentally, she can cause Earthquakes."

Everyone is staring at her but me and Annabeth, we are looking at eachother and holding hands.

"Well, Leslie, why don't you join us?" Jason asks.

Annabeth stands up and sits in my lap, offering her seat to Leslie, who gladly takes it. Everyone talks about her, asking about her past and things like that. Annabeth and I just sit there silently until Leo looks at us funny.

"Hey, you guys listening?"

"Sorry, what was it that you said?"

"I asked you two, how have you been since that night?"

"We- we've managed, barely, but we've managed. I still can't believe that we went from being unsure about having her to suddenly being depressed at her loss, in one night."

Leo looks at us funny and then stands up. "I have an announcement, Calypso and I are engaged."

Hazel surprizes me by squealing and jumping up to tackle Leo with a massive bear hug. I laugh at Frank's reaction to that, he just sits there with a stupid look on his face. Hazel's cheeks go red when she sees that we are all staring at her. She calmly returns to her seat beside Frank and takes his hand, that is when I noticed the ring on her left hand. Frank had the same one. It astonished me that they had kept it secret.

"So Frank, when did you and Hazel become more serious?"

"What?" he asks incredulously then he notices my gaze goes to Hazel's left hand. "Oh, that, yeah well I asked her about a month ago, and she said yes." Both Frank and Hazel's faces went bright red when he said that.

I couldn't believe it, Hazel Levesque and Frank Zhang were engaged!

It seems the next few years are going to be full of weddings, and all of them among my friends. And here Annabeth and I were getting depressed while this was going on. Wow, we were really out of it but I still couldn't wrap my head around it, Hazel and Frank, are engaged.

**Sorry it took so long, my computer wasn't working right and I lost internet connection, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I will be posting again as soon as I can, I promise. And thank you percabethbooklion for the idea of Leslie being able to cause earthquakes, I was going to have her powerless but that suggestion allowed my story to explode into a whole new direction. I rely on you guys to tell me who you like and who you hate. Please review, thank you.**


	7. Chapter 6

Annabeth rolls over in the bed, her blonde hair brushing against my bare chest. I sit up, and her head falls into my lap.

Taking her face in my hands I gently brush the hair out of her face and gaze at her beautiful face. _She looks peaceful while she is sleeping._ I think to myself.

"Mmmm, Percy? You up?" Annabeth asks in a sleepy voice.

"Yes, I'm up, if you need anything, I will get it for you, princess." I whisper softly into her ear.

Her lips twist into a smile when I call her princess. Slowly, her eyes flutter open as she reveals those two beautiful grey gems hidden behind her eyelids. As the sun settles gently on her eyes through the gap in the curtains, her eyes sparkle and it makes her look even more beautiful.

"Come on gorgeous, get up. School may be over but that doesn't mean that you get to be lazy all of a sudden." I say as I move her head and slide out from under the covers.

As I pull on my pants, I feel her eyes boring into my back and I turn around, buttoning up my pants as I do so.

"Have I ever told you how hot you look shirtless?"

"Many times. Have I ever told you how beautiful you look naked?"

"Yes, but why bring that up - Percy!"

Annabeth shouts my name as I rip the covers off of the bed, revealing her naked body, she covers herself up as fast as she can with her pillow.

"What was that for?" She asks angrily.

"To make sure your lazy ass doesn't fall asleep again."

"Since when am I the lazy one?"

"Since I started getting up before you do."

"What are you in such a rush about anyway? What is soo important as to warrant you waking me up before noon?"

"Oh, come on Annabeth, don't you remember?"

"Remember what?"

"Geez, sometimes I wonder whose brain really is seaweed, yours or mine."

"Hey, what is it that I forgot?"

"Jason and Piper's wedding!"

"Oh, - Oh Shit!" She screams as she jumps out of bed, casting the pillow aside and running naked into the shower.

I hear the water start and I decide, what the hell, its faster this way. So I drop my pants and boxers and join Annabeth in the shower.

We wash eachother as fast as we can and I express dry us by pulling the water off of us as the shower head turns off, instantly drying Annabeth's hair.

We step out and I throw on my tux and she throws on her dress and makeup. Her hair is done in record time and she looks beautiful, the way her grey eyes stand out in just the right way, her hair up in a braided bun, the way her dress falls on her slim body, all of it drives me insane.

"I feel as if I've fallen in love with you all over again." I say as I gaze fondly at my wife.

"Oh, you exaggerate."

"No, I really don't, you look absolutely beautiful, I swear, I cannot wait to dance with you at the reception."

She laughs as we exit the room. I close the door behind us and we wander off down the stairs and over to my car.

I open the door for her and she smiles and steps inside. After I close the door behind her I run over to my side and hop in, turning the keys and backing out into the street.

"Where do we go now Annabeth?"

She pulls up the directions that Piper emailed her on her phone. "Okay, so you will want to head straight and at the third intersection, take a right."

I gently place my foot on the gas and we begin a leisurely drive down the street, going about fifteen to sixteen miles an hour. Within moments we pass one intersection and I just drive on past, followed by a second, and I miss the third!

"Shit! I just missed the turn."

"Well, turn around." Annabeth says calmly.

"There is no room to make a u-turn here, we will have to find another intersection to turn around."

I keep heading forward, without finding another intersection and Annabeth is beginning to look worried.

"What are you doing Seaweed Brain?"

"Trying to find somewhere we can turn around."

"Did you ever think about trying reverse?"

I slam on the brakes. "Annabeth! Do you know how dangerous that is? I could hit someone."

"I trust you?"

"Look, I see an intersection not too far ahead, it will take us about thirty seconds to reach it, just be patient okay? We will get there on time, I promise, after all, we have to be there, seeing as I am Jason's best man and you are Piper's maid of honor."

Annabeth smiles as she is reminded of the honor she felt when Piper asked her to do this for her. "Oh, alright, just get us there Seaweed Brain."

I shake my head and chuckle, unfortunately Annabeth hears me with those owl ears of hers. "What is so funny?"

"Nothing princess, just thinking out loud."

"That was a chuckle, not a thought."

"Then I was thinking of chuckling and I did it out loud."

"Hmmphf." Annabeth pouts as I release another chuckle, causing her to look questioningly at me.

"What?"

"What is so funny?" She asks again.

"Nothing, you're just soo cute, I can't help but laugh when you get that pouty look on your face, it is just too adorable."

She rolls her eyes at me as I drive into the intersection, where I turn around and we begin to get back to where we needed to be before.

Arriving at the intersection we were supposed to turn at I look at Annabeth, waiting for directions.

"Where do we go now?"

"Take a . . . left, yes, take a left."

"Is that from the way we were supposed to be coming from or the way we are coming from now?"

"I just switched them."

"Let me take a look at the directions."

She hands them to me without argument.

_Go straight until you reach the third intersection from your apartment._

_ When you reach that intersection take a right._

_ . . ._

"Okay, thank you." I say, handing her back the phone. I turn left and start down the road. Looking at her I ask, "Where to now?"

"Take a right after the third left turn you see."

I start looking out the window and I see one left turn, then a right, another right, followed by another right, and yes, you guessed it, yet another right, then a left, followed by a whole bunch more rights then a left and at that left I go to the closest right, following the left and turn in there.

"Where to now?"

"Follow this road for about two minutes and then take a left at the next intersection."

So, we leisurely drive along in silence for about two minutes until we reach the intersection, at which I take a left.

"What next?"

"It says to turn onto the first gravel road and follow that up to the end and take a left."

I begin looking for a gravel road and Annabeth startles me by screaming, "Percy! You just passed it! Back up!"

I slam on the brakes and pop it into reverse, looking over her shoulder I see the gravel road she is talking about and I turn onto it once I right the car. Gravel crunches under the tires as I drive to the end of the road. Once there, I see a dirt road leading off to the right and left.

"Which way am I supposed to turn again?"

Annabeth double checks her phone and looks at me, "Take the left road."

"Wow, they are really keeping this out of Rome aren't they?" I say as I turn left onto the road. Dust is kicked up in the wake of the car as I drive along. It gets so bad that at one point I had to turn on the windshield wipers so that I could see where I was going.

"What do the directions say now?" I ask, seeing no turns on the dirt road.

"It says to follow the road up a hill and that is where the wedding is taking place."

I look at Annabeth funny for a minute and then continue driving. After about ten minutes a hill comes into view, and the dirt road leads right on up the hill. As we approach the hill a gazebo slowly begins to materialize and grow larger on the summit. Within moments we reach the base of the hill and I look up at the scene up there and think to myself, _this is a lot bigger than mine and Annabeth's wedding._

I drive up the hill and park the car in the grass off to the side. No sooner had we parked and stepped out of the car did Jason envelop both Annabeth and myself in a huge bear hug.

"I was afraid you two wouldn't be able to come." He said.

"Oh, come on Jason, I would never ditch my friends, especially not on their wedding day. I am here for you every step of the way. If you have any questions about your marriage feel free to ask us, we have been happily married for two years."

He beams at us and looks at Annabeth funny, as if realizing she was there for the first time. "Annabeth, you should be with Piper, I bet she's freaking out right about now. Go on, she is over in that white condo over there." He points to a white box with a door on it.

"Thank you, now, you had best be getting to the altar, you don't want Piper chewing your head off do you?"

"Gods Annabeth, give him a break, the is a little anxious about his wedding, cut the guy some slack okay? Why don't you go and see to Piper while I get Jason where the needs to be, okay?"

Annabeth nods and turns around, hiking up her dress she walks as quickly as she can to the white box where Piper is waiting for her.

I turn to Jason once Annabeth is out of sight. "Sorry I couldn't come to your bachelor's party Jason, Annabeth kinda forbade me from going."

"Nah, thats fine, not much happened anyway, we just had a quick visit from Bacchus. He conjured up some wine but we reminded him that we were all underage so he replaced the wine with sparkling grape juice and diet pepsi. We had some laughs and the cake arrived, a nymph jumped out of it and she ran off immediately afterwards, it was quite funny, especially because Bacchus ran after her like a giddy schoolboy."

"I would love to see that, but we need to get you to the altar before the wedding starts."

I shush Jason before the can say anything and I grab him by the shoulders and manage to drag him up onto the stage. I take my place beside him as Zeus steps up behind him, startling us both.

"Son, I am glad to see you here, I was almost afraid you wouldn't show, especially because Hera promised to kill you if you didn't."

Jason laughed half heartedly at this, but a smile erupted onto his face as Piper stepped out of the box and began to walk down the aisle, with Aphrodite at her side and Annabeth following behind her. They take their places at the altar as Annabeth smiles and gives me a thumbs up as congratulations for getting Jason up here. I couldn't be sure but I am almost positive that I saw a tear leak out of the corner of Aphrodite's eye as Piper and Jason went through the ceremony.

Hera and Persephone were standing on the altar in front of us and they performed the ceremony. Ater Jason and Piper said their, "I so swears" and threw the bouquet together, we all cheered and lifted them up, carrying them to the car that Zeus asked Poseidon to help make with his cyclopes at the undersea forges, Zeus had actually come down there to help work on it too.

They got in the white car with the electric blue lightning bolts on its sides and drove off to go and get started with the reception.

Annabeth and I got into my car and we drove off after them. Before long we arrived at a large, white building. As Jason and Piper stepped out of their car, a wedding photographer took pictures of them and of us as we all entered the building.

It looked a lot like the setup from mine and Annabeth's wedding two years ago, which Annabeth had not yet finished putting the photos from that into a scrapbook.

Jason and Piper went over to the table at the front of the room and took their seats. Annabeth and I joined them at our places and quickly, everybody filed into the room and took their places. I stood up and began my well rehearsed speech.

"Well, here we are, Jason and Piper, married. Come on everybody, lets give them a hand!" Everyone starts clapping excitedly. "Jason and Piper everyone!" I shout over the clapping and the cheering. Once it dies down, I begin again. "So, here we go. Jason and Piper, married at last, it sure took them long enough if do say so myself. You know, when I first saw Jason, I thought the was one of those types that are hard, uninteresting, rule following, and overall no fun. Within the course of a day, the had already broken rules, gotten himself in trouble, been knocked out, and was possibly the man who saved our butts when we were leaving that first day on the Argo II. Now, Annabeth and I couldn't wait for our wedding, but look at these two. Three years of waiting for their wedding day, three years. I don't know about you all but I wouldn't be able to make it that long without Annabeth. Anyway, this is not about me, it is about them. Now, some embarrassing stories about Jason, oh where do I begin, lets see. . . Ah yes, so, within the first week of our voyage on the Argo II, Jason was unconscious for a couple of days, but one night when Coach Hedge was at the helm, steering, I got up to get a glass of water and I saw Jason, in his underwear, walking around in circles in the middle of the hallway. Now, if it were those typical boxers that you don't care if anybody sees you in then it would have been fine. What made me crack up laughing was the fact that the was wearing that pair of embarrassing boxers, the ones with the hearts on them with the elastic giving out. and to celebrate that event, we have a surprise for you Jason, bring it in boys."

Tyson and Grover walk up to the front of the room and set down a glass frame and inside of that glass frame, were the boxers from the story.

"Jason, this is for you so that you forever remember that night, you took a stroll with your hearts showing." Everyone burst into laughter. I continued my speech for a few more minutes and finally I ended it with, "Now its time for these two lovebirds to go and make some embarrassing stories of their own." We all give them a round of applause as they stood up, Jason's face redder than a tomato as the took the glass frame and left with Piper to go out to their car. Annabeth and I watched as they came inside and danced.

"Annabeth, may I have this dance?" I ask offering my hand to her.

"I thought you'd never ask, Seaweed Brain."

Annabeth took my hand and we went out onto the dance floor.

We danced the night away and as Jason and Piper left I saw how happy they both look I turn to Annabeth and smile.

"You know, seeing them and how happy they are, I wonder if we were that happy when we got married two years ago." Annabeth says.

"Oh, come on Annabeth, now you're making me feel old."

"Oh, come on Seaweed Brain, you are too young to feel old."

"Whatever you say, Wise Girl."

Just when I thought nothing could go wrong, I saw Rachel walking in our direction. Now that might not seem bad but what was happening to her was. Green smoke was billowing out of her mouth as she approached. I stepped away from Annabeth and looked at Rachel. She stopped in front of me and began to speak in the voice of the Oracle.

_ You shall go west alone without friends,_

_ A sister to save has the means to an ends,_

_ The fallen darkness arises at last,_

_ Work hard before the day all demigods die comes to pass,_

_ In your hands Olympus lies again,_

_ You fail to complete the task in the end._

Rachel collapses as she finishes the prophecy, leaving me stunned and silent.

"Percy, what happened?"

"You just gave me a prophecy, one I have to do, alone."

I pack my bag, getting ready to go. My sister disappeared the night after the wedding and we haven't heard from her since, the last anyone saw of her was her leaving to go eastward, somewhere. Looking at Annabeth not knowing if I would be able to leave if I took too much longer, I packed as fast as I could. Stepping outside, we get into my car and I drive with her to the edge of the Roman camp.

She steps out of the car and I follow suit. Looking at me with those beautiful grey eyes as if this was the last time she would ever see me.

"Percy, please, don't go."

"I- I'm sorry Annabeth, I have to, the prophecy says that I had to find my sister."

"It also said you would fail."

"I will fail if I don't go, I'm sorry Annabeth, I have to go." I say, heading towards my car.

"Percy," I turn around, looking at her, I see she has tears in her eyes. "At least let me give you a goodbye kiss."

"Annabeth, don't, just, don't say goodbye. It is too final, this is simply farewell."

"A farewell kiss then." She says as her lip begins to quiver.

Our lips touch faintly and I step away and get into the car.

"I love you Percy." She says.

"I love you too Annabeth." I say and close the door behind me. As I drive off I see Annabeth collapse to the ground on her knees, sobbing. A tear escapes my eye as I drive off.

"Farewell, Annabeth. I will be back soon."

Three hours later . . .

I arrive at a gas station and stop by to pick up a little food. As I walk out of the station, I see someone I hoped I wouldn't see ever again. Old bull face was back, and the looked more pissed than usual, and the had friends.

I pull out Riptide and they advance on me. Three dracaenae and the Minotaur. I dodge and swipe, killing one dracaenae. Dropping and rolling, I evade a spear thrust and stab upwards, disintegrating a second, the third I get standing up and spinning around, flipping my blade so I hold it backwards and stab it into her torso, killing her. The Minotaur charges at me and I dodge, the slams into several gas pumps, causing gas to leak onto the ground, spreading outward. Beef face turns towards me and I swipe with my sword, cutting his head off and killing him.

I hear a laugh behind me and turn around to see my sister standing there, her eyes purple-black, holding a match. In a second I think about Annabeth and how I wish that I had stayed, so that she would see me again.

"I'm sorry Annabeth, I'm so sorry." I say as my sister lights the match and drops it on the ground, lighting the gasoline and causing the gas station to explode behind me.

I feel a sharp push and I fly into the grass. Tears fall from from my eyes as I lie there. I see Annabeth's face and I close my eyes. "Annabeth, I am so sorry." I say and the world goes black. The last thing I am aware of is a feeling of weightlessness as the ground disappears beneath me.

Annabeth's point of view . . .

I watch Percy as his car drives off down the road. Unable to stand from the pain in my chest, I collapse to my knees, tears streaming down my face. He's gone, just like that, he left.

Piper walks towards me and puts her arm around my shoulders. Gently she guides me back to my apartment. I lie down on the couch and we talk. She manages to cheer me up and we begin to laugh and joke and wonder when the will get back. This goes on for a while and we end up playing a few card games, all of which I win.

For a brief moment, I feel like something just happened to Percy but I dismiss it as nothing, the last time I saw him, the was in his car which masks him from monsters. My gut screams at me when Jason walks in and looks at Piper.

"Pipes, please leave the room." She is about to object when she sees the serious look on his face. Standing up, she leaves the room and closes the door behind her.

"Is there something wrong Jason?" I ask.

"Annabeth, I-"

"Its about Percy isn't it?" I interrupt.

"About an hour ago, I was flying around and I saw a gas station explode. I flew down to help, and I asked the clerk what had happened and the said- the said Percy was there and that the was at the center of the explosion. I'm sorry Annabeth."

Tears flow down my face as my gut twists into knot upon knot. Pain screams through my body as what the said dawns on me. I run into my bedroom and throw myself onto the bed, allowing the cold hands of unrelenting sorrow possess my body as I cry myself into oblivion, thinking only about Percy and what we could have had if only the hadn't left. If only the had stayed.


	8. Chapter 7

It has been three months since Percy left from Camp Jupiter in his car. After I heard about the gas station explosion, I cried for several days before deciding to move back to Camp Half Blood. My father heard about what had happened and he called to try and alleviate my sorrow, it didn't work. I went over to see Percy's mother and I told her what had happened and that we weren't sure whether the was alive or dead. She and I cried together and I stayed there for a couple of days before moving back to the house on the beach that I had designed for me and Percy to live in.

In that house were just constant reminders of his absence, I spent most of my time crying, only coming out for meals and then going back home. This morning was different, however, I woke up and didn't feel as depressed. I heard a knock at my door and Piper entered, a huge smile on her face.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Percy's pegasus, Blackjack, was just spotted approaching Half Blood Hill."

"So? He probably went for a short flight, what is so special about that?"

"Annabeth, the has a rider on his back."

"Oh my gods, Where is the going?"

"Half Blood Hill."

I jump up, still in my pajamas that Percy got me for our wedding anniversary last year. Stepping into my shoes I run out the door. I sprint through camp and up the hill. I reach the top just as Blackjack lands and Percy climbs off of his back.

As soon as I see him, my heart jumps out of my chest. The has gained muscle during these last three months. It takes me a moment to register that the is shirtless and covered in monster dust. In his hand is a familiar weapon, I cannot believe my eyes, my knife. I lost that in Tartarus.

I pull my eyes up his monster dust coated body and notice a river of red flowing out of his left shoulder.

"Oh my gods, Percy, you're hurt."

He smiles and says, "You always notice the little things Annabeth." And then he collapses to the ground.  
I pounce on him and shake his head to keep him awake. "Percy, stay with me, I am not losing you a third time."

"Annabeth, I got your knife back."

"That is unimportant, what is important is what caused your wound."

"Your knife did, it was thrown by a monster."

"What monster?"

"It was a - I - I can't remember. Annabeth, I can't remember anything about the quest, at least, not after the gas station explosion and being stabbed then picked up by Blackjack."

Blackjack whinny's at Percy and shakes his head.

"Yes buddy, you are the fancy horse."

With that Percy passes out.

"I need the Apollo cabin, get over here now! Camper down! Camper down!" Annabeth shouts frantically.

"Annabeth, calm down, they are here. Come on, lets get you back home."

"No, I am not leaving Percy again." I say and I race off after the Apollo cabin as they carry Percy to the med tent.

"I am never leaving you again Percy, I am never leaving you again." I enter the tent with them and watch as they feed him Ambrosia and nectar to help to speed up the healing.

One of the Apollo campers came over to me and asked, "What caused the wound?"

"This." I say and I hold up my knife. "I lost it in Tartarus and somehow the was stabbed in the shoulder with it by some monster, at least, thats what the said."

"Thank you, Johnny, we will need some magic over here."

"Is everything going to be okay?"

"As long as we can manage to take out the Celestial Bronze poisoning in the wound then the will be alright. Johnny, we need you NOW!"

"What is it?"

"Celestial Bronze poisoning, Percy got stabbed."

"On it!" I see a blonde haired kid race off over to where Percy is lying. He lays his hands over Percy's wounded shoulder and a bright light shines from his hands as the mutters an incantation. I see a dark substance ooze out from the closing wound and fall to the floor where it dissipated.

"What was that stuff?" I ask.

"That was the Celestial Bronze poison in the wound, almost any cut with depth to it that is made with celestial bronze on a demigod leaves behind a trace amount of poison but a stab wound such as he got, well, that leaves much more. Woah, someone catch Johnny!"

Johnny collapses and one of the Apollo campers catches him and leads him over to an empty bunk.

"Thank you. I need to rest, that took a lot out of me. Annabeth, you can see Percy now. Someone put a curtain around Percy's bunk please to give them a little privacy."

I walk over to Percy's bedside just as the curtain around his bed is drawn and we are left there, alone, together. Percy is sleeping soundly and I sit in a chair that is sitting right beside the bunk. Looking at his face, so peaceful in sleep, I notice a bit of dirt on his nose and I proceed to rub it off, eliciting a small grunt from him.

Percy's Point of View

I feel the wind on my face and the throbbing coming from my shoulder as I lie against Blackjack's back as the flies me towards the crest of Half Blood Hill. A crowd of campers are standing at the base of the tree there but one catches my eye. A blonde headed girl runs through the crowd in her bright red pajamas and her familiar tennis shoes. Seeing her after so long brings a smile to my face as Blackjack lands right in front of everybody.

I dismount slowly, the monster dust covering my bare chest and arms starting to get into my wounded shoulder. I keep a straight face as best as I can as my wife runs up and stops in front of me, staring into my eyes as I stare back. Oh, how I missed those beautiful grey eyes that I had grown accustomed to seeing when I wake these past two years, before the quest happened.

Out from behind my back I pull a surprise for Annabeth, her old bronze knife. Her face lights up when she sees it, but then her eyes travel to my shoulder which is still bleeding from the knife wound.

"Oh my gods, Percy, you're hurt."

Hearing her say this brings a smile to my face, "You always notice the little things Annabeth." I finally run out of energy as the adrenaline from my fight wears off and I feel my knees give way and collapse underneath me and I fail to find the strength to land so that I stay sitting and I fall on my back, the soft grass cushioning my impact and tickling my bare back.

Annabeth practically jumps on me and starts shaking my head saying, "Percy, stay with me, I am not losing you a third time."

"Annabeth, I got your knife back." I say weakly as I try to give it to her.

"That is not important right now, what is important is what caused your wound."

"Your knife did, it was thrown by a monster."

"What monster?"

"It was a - I - I can't remember. Annabeth, I can't remember anything about the quest, at least, not after the gas station explosion and being stabbed then picked up by Blackjack."

Blackjack looks at me and says, _I am the fancy horse, boss._

"Yes buddy, you are the fancy horse."

After I say this, I pass out from the pain in my shoulder. I am unaware of anything that is happening to me, but I have a feeling that I have been moved and patched up by the Apollo campers.

Three Hours Later. . .

I wake up to find Annabeth sleeping with her head resting on her arms, lying against my bunk in the hospital tent, sitting on a chair. I sit up and laugh when I see her. The movement that this causes wakes her up and she looks at me like I am crazy.

"Annabeth, you have no idea how much I have missed you these past three months. I tried to send Iris messages but my calls were blocked."

"I understand Percy, your sister was in danger and you had to save her."

"I guess, but she's gone Annabeth, she went to Tartarus, we lost her."

"The prophecy said you would fail in the end."

"I guess, but I didn't expect it to be like this." I say forlornly.

Annabeth looks at me and smiles, "I am just glad you're safe."

"I'm just glad I'm home." I say with a smile and I firmly plant a kiss on her lips, allowing myself to be engrossed in her intoxicating presence and forgetting about all of my other troubles.

Three Hours Later . . .

I have just been released from the hospital tent and I am now going home to our cabin by the beach. I wonder what happened to my car after I left it behind in New Mexico when I went to follow my sister underground as she created a path to Tartarus in the desert. Wait, how do I remember that? _What else do I remember?_ I concentrate and see a hole in the desert, my car is parked off to the side of it and I am standing at the mouth. It goes down but at an easy incline, I step inside and - the memory ends. _What happened down there that was so horrible that I cannot remember it?_ I wonder to myself.

Annabeth is helping me walk to our cabin, I am still weak, but I insist on walking down there by myself. After three steps I almost collapse and if she weren't there to catch me, I might have landed on my bad shoulder.

"Thanks Annabeth," I wince as she grabs my bad shoulder by accident. "Thats the bad one."

"Sorry Percy."

"Brother?"

I hear a familiar voice and feel the ground shake as my cyclops brother comes running towards me, his big brown eye starting to fill up with tears.

"I am so glad that you have not been killed dead!" The says as he grasps me in a big bear hug, squeezing the life out of me.

"Tyson. . . My . . . Shoulder . . . Ow!" I choke out.

"Sorry brother. I am just so glad that you are not dead."

"I am too Tyson." I say as he releases me. Falling to the ground from lack of strength, Annabeth grabs me and helps me up in time for me to see Ella flying towards us mumbling under her breath.

"Percy is living, living is good for Percy. Tyson is happy Percy is alive, Ella is happy Percy is alive. Percy is a friend to Ella, Percy is good. Ella likes Percy, Ella loves Tyson. Tyson is good for Ella, Tyson loves Ella. Ella knows of Percy's quest, _You shall go west alone without friends. _Friends are good for Harpies, _You fail to complete the task in the end._ Percy did a dangerous quest, quests are bad for harpies, quests are bad for Ella."

Annabeth and I look at eachother amazed. She looks at Ella and asks her, "Ella, did you know about this prophecy?"

"Yes, Ella saw it in a book. The book was in Latin, Ella cannot read Latin, Ella used Latin dictionary to read book. Dictionaries are good for Ella, help Ella read books. Ella loves books, books are good for harpies." Ella nods her head up and down as she says this.

"What book was this prophecy written in Ella?" Annabeth asks.

"Books, books, books, lots and lots of books, Ella read many books."

"Yes but what book was that prophecy written in?" Tyson asks.

"Book had many Latin prophecies, lots and lots of them, some burned, some missing. Ella likes books, books tell Ella things she didn't know before. Ella loves to read, Tyson loves to build and write."

Tyson begins to blush.

"Tyson, you write?" I ask, standing up straight for a moment.

"Yes, I do, I write books about-"

"About Ella and Tyson and Percy and Annabeth, lots and lots of stories, many things the writes. The best at writing Tyson is, Ella's favorite writer Tyson is. Ella loves Tyson's book, Ella must keep a copy of Tyson's book, Ella loves Tyson."

I smile and look at Annabeth, "We should take a look at Tyson's book then, when the feels he is ready to share, but for now, we really should get home, Annabeth, will you please take me back? Tyson, Ella, we will see you two later." I say as Annabeth begins to help me to walk off.

"Ella thinks the should know, Surprise is not good in his condition. Percy should know secret, Ella wants to tell secret."

"Not now Ella, it is not the right time for that, maybe when he is better, but right now Percy needs to rest. We will tell him later, okay? I am making him a special tool too, maybe it will help him to get better faster."

"Ella wants Percy to get better, Percy is good for Ella. Percy is Ella's friend, Ella loves Tyson. Tyson is Ella's boyfriend, Percy is happy with Annabeth. Annabeth is smart, smart Annabeth is good to Ella."

Tyson smiles as the walks towards the Poseidon cabin with Ella flying behind him as the sun sets.

Annabeth and I arrive at the house and she sets me down on the bench on the porch, facing the ocean. She sits down beside me and I wrap my arm around her shoulders.

"I missed you, while I was gone."

"I missed you too Percy."

We hear a beep beep that sounds just like my car and we watch in astonishment as it drives up out of the water and up to the house, parking itself.

"I love that car." I say.

"I do too." Annabeth replies.

"You know what I love more than my car?"

"What?" She asks questioningly.

"You." I say and I plant a kiss on her lips. "Come on, we should get to bed, I am really tired."

Annabeth smiles. "Okay, lets go." She helps me up and leads me inside and helps me into the bed.

As soon as my head hits the pillow, I fall asleep and the dreams that hit me, are more horrible than I can imagine.

As I step into the hole, I find the dark overwhelming me and I draw my sword. The light from the bronze blade illuminating the darkness eerily. Hearing a rumbling up ahead I run forwards and find Leslie carving the tunnel, going ever deeper into the ground. "Leslie, stop, come back to camp."

"No, I need to do this Percy, you don't understand, I need to do this."

"No, you don't understand, I have been to Tartarus and it is worse than anything the fields of Asphodel could come up with. Trust me, I have seen both."

"Percy, please, just go. The monsters know you are here, you need to leave."

"I am not leaving without you."

"One more push and I will break through into Tartarus."

"Leslie, don't."

"I'm sorry Percy." And she pushes her hands forward and the hole opens up into a steep abyss. Angry red light emanates from the opening, drawing us towards it. Leslie steps through. and I grab her arm.

"Leslie, you have a family here, friends, people who love you, there is no need to do this. Please Leslie, I need my sister, I don't know what I would do without you. We all need you, Annabeth and me most of all, please, come back with me."

Tears begin to fall from her eyes and she looks at me and says, "Percy, run." And she tears out of my grip, falling into the abyss and closing the tunnel behind her as she fell into Tartarus. The image of her falling into the angry red light and the unforgiving landscape below her forever imprinted into my mind. I turn around and find a mass of monsters I have slain in the past grouping up and coming down the tunnel. Hundreds of thousands of them it seems, group upon group. Anger floods through my veins and I attack. Before long my shirt has been shredded and I am halfway to the mouth of the tunnel. Monster dust begins to coat my body as I make my way up to the mouth of the tunnel. I reach the opening and slice the last couple of monsters to dust and jump out. As I race towards my car I feel a sting as a knife sprouts from my shoulder.

I look at the knife and I am astonished that it is Annabeth's knife. I run forward and a Dracaenae slithers out from behind my car followed by another seven. I swing my sword and dissolve one of them, but I feel the strength leaving me fast.

A voice shouts out in my head, _Yo, boss. In need of a fancy horse?_

"Blackjack, boy am I glad to see you." He lands beside me and I hop onto his back and he takes off. I hear the dracaenae swearing behind us as we rise into the sky.

"Take me to Half Blood Hill buddy, I need to see Annabeth." As he flies there, I tentatively take the dagger out of my shoulder, felling the blood begin to run down my chest. What will Annabeth think? Half Blood Hill appears in the distance and I begin to wonder what she has been up to lately. Then I see her there on the top of the hill, pushing her way up through the crowd of campers as Blackjack takes me down.

"AAAHHH!" I scream as I wake from the dream, springing out of bed and getting to my feet. I stand there for a moment and then I collapse from a lack of strength. Annabeth sits up when she hears me scream and collapse on the floor.

"Oh my gods, Percy!"

I am aware of Annabeth grabbing me and lifting me up off the ground and setting me as gently as she can into the bed while gently caressing my face while the world around me goes dark and I drift into oblivion.

Three Hours Later . . .

"There is not anything that we can do, whatever is happening to him has to run its course."

"What is it that is going on with him?"

"Don't worry Annabeth, he should be fine."

"What is happening to him?"

"I am not sure, but I am pretty sure that whatever it is, he will get over it before long."

I am aware of them talking about me, Annabeth and some Apollo camper. They are standing beside the bed. I decide to get their attention and I groan and turn my head. Annabeth doesn't notice and I peek open one eye and see that she is not looking in my direction.

"Annabeth," I mumble while closing my open eye.

She rushes to my side and I do my best to hold back a laugh.

"Yes Percy, what is is?"

"I need him gone first."

"Please, let us be alone for a moment, I will be out shortly." Annabeth says to the Apollo camper. At her request he leaves.

"Percy, what do you need?"

"I need you to get naked." I say, suppressing a grin.

"Why?"

"It has been a long time since I have seen you."

"Well it will have to wait until you are all better to see me that way."

"Why?" I ask.

"It will be incentive for you to get better and to stay with me."

"Your beauty is incentive enough, Annabeth." I respond, cracking my eyes open to see her beautiful grey eyes hovering over my face, studying me with that calculating face she makes when she is studying a person or a set of blueprints that I have come to love.

"Get better Percy, and you will do more than just see me naked Percy."

Annabeth stands up to walk away and I grab her hand.

"Annabeth?"

"Yes Percy?"

"I love you."

"I love you too seaweed brain." She says and she steps away, allowing our hands to touch for the longest she can before breaking my hold. I see her exit the room and close the door behind her. I slowly drift off to sleep and my mind goes back to my quest.

Six Hours Later . . .

"Percy, wake u-up." Annabeth says softly in a childlike voice, eliciting a smile from my lips.

"What is it honey?"

"The sun is going down. I thought you might want to watch it set over the bay."

"Help me over to the front porch, and we can."

Annabeth helps me to sit up and then she carefully takes me out to the front porch. I meant to tell her that I can walk by myself now, but her holding me was just too comforting, so I decided to stay my tongue. We sit down on the bench out front and we gaze out at the setting sun.

"Annabeth, is there something wrong?" I ask seeing the look on her face.

"Percy, we lost a few campers earlier, a Drakon appeared behind the borders and killed several of our new campers before we managed to kill it."

"Oh no, how did it get past the barrier?"

"We can only assume that it was somehow summoned here by somebody on the inside."

"You mean we may have a traitor in the camp?"

"Either that or someone foolish enough to want to take on a Drakon singlehandedly." She said.

"Well, at least it is dead. How long do you think it will be before I can get up and move around?" I ask.

"Maybe a week, two at the most. Why? Don't you like me nursing you like this?"

"I do like it, but I just wish that I could do more, now that my sister is gone, I need to know how I can help with the camp. I failed my quest, got injured and I have done nothing but pass out and sleep since I got back. I just feel a bit, useless." I say, a wrenching feeling growing in my gut as I say this.

"Oh, Percy, you are not useless, if anything, you are the bravest demigod I have ever met, you went after your sister all the way to the borders of Tartarus and back to try and save her, and the you fought your way out to come back to be with me, if that is not bravery, I don't know what is."

I smile when she says this, "I guess you're right. If you don't mind, I will be going back to sleep now."

"Sweet dreams Seaweed Brain." Annabeth says as she leaves the room and closes the door.

I drift off into sleep and my mind again goes back to the quest and what greets me is more bizzare than I ever could have thought possible.

I am standing on a cliff in the middle of a desert, my car is parked down below, I am backed up to the edge of the cliff, a horde of monsters advancing before me. Suddenly, a huge burst of angry red light flashes and I feel a presence beside me. Anger surges through me and I realize who it is. "Ares, what are you doing here?"

"Truse me kid, I didn't want to come, but Zeus made me. He said I had to help you get after your sister because if I don't, the gods will die or something like that. So come on, lets push these monsters back, eh?"

I look at him astonished, but that quickly changes into anger and I decide to focous that on the monsters.

"We attack on three." I say.

"Got it."

One . . ."

"Three!" And Ares charges the monsters before I can say two.

Shrugging, I join in. The monster horde disintegrating in front of us and, in moments, we have cleared the cliff of them.

"Hold on kid." Ares says as the grabs me and jumps off the cliff.

We land on the ground right beside my car and, surprisingly enough, I am not a grease stain in the middle of the desert.

"You did good out there kid, now go and kick your sister's ass. Don't think this means I like you though." Ares says before disappearing.

I climb into my car and drive off into the desert. Not long into my drive, something explodes beneath my car and we go flying fender over fender through the air.

"AAAHHHH!" I sit up, screaming the way I had been in the dream before realizing that I am in my room, back at camp, Annabeth is barging through the door upon hearing my scream, and it is dark outside.

"Percy, what is it, whats wrong?" Annabeth asks, concern in her voice as she sits down on the bed beside me.

"My- my- my c-car, and there was- boom- and I was-" I break down in tears, unable to form a comprehensible sentence.

Annabeth wraps her arms around my head and she holds it close to her chest as she rocks back and forth, rubbing her small hands through my hair.

"Shh, its okay, you're home, it's safe. Come on, there there, calm down." She says in a soothing tone. The only thing going through my head right now, is how great a mother she would make.

"A-Annabeth?"

"Yes Percy?"

I turn my face to look at hers, "I love you."

She smiles a bit and gazes into my teary eyes, "I love you too Percy." And we both grasp eachother tight and climb under the covers and fall asleep.

When I wake up the next morning, she is still asleep in my arms.

Two Weeks Later . . .

I haven't had another flashback to my quest in two weeks now. Finally, I am up and about, able to help and train. The first thing I do, is go to the sword training arena and get in some practice. Our new sword instructor, Jameson from the Ares cabin, helps me to get back into shape over the next week. Unlike the other Ares campers who all hate my guts, he actually is quite nice to me and treats me like a friend. This is a little reassuring because he is not beating me into a pulp like the other Ares campers would be, he is actually helping me to get better.

Recently I have noticed that I am seeing less and less of Clarisse and Chris recently. I have my suspicions that they have something going on that they are not telling us but if I tried to ask her, I know she would beat m into a pulp and tell me to mind my own business.

I do ask Annabeth about it but she is as much in the dark about it as I am. She is not home as much anymore now that I am all better because she is down working on New Sparta and is getting the last of the buildings finished. Three more weeks and the town is done and she will be able to stay at home with me more often. I am eagerly awaiting those three weeks to be over so that I can finally spend every waking moment with her without passing out or needing her help just to get out of bed.

There are not many side effects from the knife wound to my shoulder aside from a slight soreness that crops up from time to time. Lucky for me I fight with my right hand so it does not really affect me that much. The only trouble I seem to have with it is that I occasionally struggle to lift up my arm fast enough to block an opponent's attack with my shield.

According to Jameson, my arm will be like that for another few months and that I need to excersize it as much as possible otherwise I will have that weakness for the rest of my life and I realize that realistically, if I do not overcome this that my life will be very short indeed.

"Hey Percy!" I hear a familiar voice coming from the stands in the arena, the voice of my wife, Annabeth.

"Yes Annabeth!"

"I was just thinking about your prophecy about your sister."

"Yeah, and?" I ask.

"It said '_The fallen darkness arises at last, Work hard before the day all demigods die comes to pass,_' and I just realized, we are still alive." She says with concern written on her face.

"What are you saying Annabeth?"

"I'm saying, I don't think that the prophecy has finished quite yet, I think that there is more to it, it sounded almost like it was incomplete, as if it were just a segment from a larger prophecy."

"Annabeth, you're scaring me."

"Man up Seaweed Brain. I think you still have a part of your quest to finish, and I think it involves more than just you." She says.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I think that everyone who ha gotten a prophecy after you is meant to be on this quest, each with a piece of the whole hidden inside."

"So what you are saying is that the oracle spirit is speaking in more riddles than it already does?" I ask, confusedly.

"Essentially, yes, I think that might be it."

"Then we are screwed." I say.

"Yep, big time." She replies with a nod.

Together we go to the Big House to inform Chiron of our hypothesis, and to seek his counsel. Secretly, I desperately hope we are wrong.


	9. Author's Note 2

**I apologize about taking so long to update last time, I had a short bout of writer's block and got sort of busy. I don't much care for writing a chapter that is pointless to the story so I waited until I had time to finish chapter 7 and set up the rest of the book. Due to Internet issues, I cannot update anytime from 3:40 pm until 8:50 am Monday through Friday and I cannot update at all over the weekend. Thank you all so much for your continued support and please feel free to leave comments suggesting ideas for the story, I would like to include all of you in the process of writing this story and your input is very important to me. Thank you all so much. I will update again as soon as I can.**


	10. Chapter 8

At Long last, I have finally written another chapter, I hope you enjoy it. :-)

_A child of two demigods,_

_Will fight and survive to face the odds,_

_Stacked against favor with care,_

_Not to harm even a single hair._

_Without fear a hero is made,_

_But in the end, fear means one cannot be saved._

_A sad fate awaits the child at last,_

_Before birth, one shall breathe her last._

I wake up screaming, the prophecy Annabeth was given almost two weeks ago. That makes three prophecies since mine, Jason, Tyson, and Annabeth. Jason is back from his quest and has been for almost three weeks, but Tyson is still missing. But what concerns me most of all is the fact that Annabeth's prophecy speaks of a child to be born of two demigods, and some girl breathing her last.

I fear for Annabeth's life, and she knows it. Even though she tries to hide it from me and from everybody else, I know that she too is afraid, both for the child and for whoever will breathe her last. The thing that disconcerts me the most is what Jason's prophecy says though:

_Alone one must travel all over again,_

_Through fire, torture, evil, and rain._

_Without an end the path is sought,_

_A battle lost, but never fought,_

_A single goal, clouding the mind._

_A seeker knows not what he will find._

_A place without mercy,_

_A place without death,_

_A place where a hero,_

_Takes his last breath._

But even more puzzling is what Tyson's prophecy says:

_Without knowledge of pleasure or pain,_

_A path is followed, all in vain._

_A quest long forgot,_

_A hero knows not._

_What has risen and fallen,_

_Has not long forgotten,_

_Those who dug his grave,_

_The world, which is now his,_

_To hide from or brave._

There is one thing that each of these prophecies have in common though, they all are like mine, where two lines seem thrown in there at random. There is only one problem, we cannot seem to fit them together in any way that would allow for a prophecy to spring out that made any sense whatsoever. Until we figure this out, and until Tyson gets back, we are stuck while the world's days slowly come closer and closer to ending. Twice now we have been attacked at our bourders, the monsters gathering in force. Word was recieved from camp Jupiter that they are being overrun by monsters and that they need help so Chiron has gone to get the Party Ponies to help them out, leaving us here with fatass Dionysus who is too busy playing Pinochole with himself to even bother with the rest of us lowly demigods.

Annabeth stirs beside me and I lie back down on our soft bed. She curls up close to me and I wrap my arms around her, kissing the top of her blonde head. I feel fingers beginning to wriggle themselves up my sides in an attempt to tickle me. Before she can get to that special spot on my side, just below my arms but not my armpit, I grab her hands and push them down, causing her to squeak.

"What was that?" I ask amid laughter.

Annabeth looks at me, her face red, "You startled me."

"Well, you are starting to get lazy, princess." I say with a smirk on my face.

"Don't call me princess," Annabeth whines.

"Well what should I call you then wise girl?" I chuckle.

"Annabeth's my name and I am sticking to it." She says before rolling out of the bed.

As her bare feet touch the ground I cannot help but picture what it would be like to see her walking in with a little bundle of joy, all snuggled up in a blanket and sucking on her finger. Almost as soon as that image claws its way into my mind, I sweep it away, now is no time to be raising a family. Annabeth walks naked over to the closet and pulls her blue silk pajamas over her smooth, bare skin; throws her robe on and slips into her slippers. Looking at me, she smiles and walks out of the bedroom.

I get up to chase after her, throwing on my pants as I chase her out the front door and onto the beach. She is standing there, staring out at the water as the wind blows furiously against her body.

"When will Tyson be back?" She asks me.

"I miss him too you know." I smile at her.

"Yeah, but I know he can take care of himself, I am worried about Ella though, she is going crazy with worry. Everybody who tries to enter that cabin is Tyson until she gets close to them and then she attacks you." Annabeth says.

"I know, we all worry about her too." I say.

We turn around and start to trudge back to the house.

"Is something wrong with Ella?" A familiar voice says from behind us.

We spin around and see, "Tyson!" Annabeth and I shout together as we tackle him, knocking him over for once.

"Nice to see you too Percy and Annabeth, brother and sister, I missed Ella, where is she?" Tyson asks as he stands up, us still latched onto his neck for dear life.

"In the Poseidon cabin, moping." I say as Annabeth and I detatch ourselves from Tyson as he takes off running towards the Poseidon cabin.

Annabeth looks at me and I understand her look. It is time to give the Prophecy riddle another try. We go inside to begin attempting to decipher it once more.

We start by pulling out the box with the four prophecies written out on paper, along with several dozen notebooks and about a billion broken pencils and inkless pens. Anabeth grabs a pen and scribbles on her hand until she gets it working. Grabbing a notebook, she flips to an empty page almost immediately. I am still wondering how she does that.

"So, let's take a look at what we have so far." She begins.

"Four prophecies, all with what feels like something not right about them. Mine was easy as to what was not supposed to be in there '_The fallen darkness arises at last, Work hard before the day all demigods die comes to pass.' _Sitting in the middle of my prophecy was too easy to find it out." I say.

Annabeth writes down my segment on the paper and looks at Jason's prophecy, the next one to come up (about a week after I got back) and then she sits up straight and pulls out her knife.

"Annabeth, what are you doing?" I ask, concerned I may have done something that has caused her to go psycho crazy as some rational people tend to under stress.

"Relax Percy, I am using this to - well, you'll see." She says with a smirk.

"Somehow that doesn't relax me." I sarcastically reply.

Annabeth rolls her eyes at me as she cuts the prophecied on paper into strips, one strip per line before beginning to rearrange them.

"It looks like a puzzle, except with words." I say, beginning to get dizzy as some of the words began to float around my head.

All Four Prophecies one after another in order of occurrence:

_You shall go west alone without friends,_

_A sister to save has the means to an ends,_

_The fallen darkness arises at last,_

_Work hard before the day all demigods die comes to pass,_

_In your hands Olympus lies again,_

_You fail to complete the task in the end._

_Alone one must travel all over again,_

_Through fire, torture, evil, and rain._

_Without an end the path is sought,_

_A battle lost, but never fought,_

_A single goal, clouding the mind._

_A seeker knows not what he will find._

_A place without mercy,_

_A place without death,_

_A place where a hero,_

_Takes his last breath._

_Without knowledge of pleasure or pain,_

_A path is followed, all in vain._

_A quest long forgot,_

_A hero knows not._

_What has risen and fallen,_

_Has not long forgotten,_

_Those who dug his grave,_

_The world, which is now his,_

_To hide from or brave._

_A child of two demigods,_

_Will fight and survive to face the odds,_

_Stacked against favor with care,_

_Not to harm even a single hair._

_Without fear a hero is made,_

_But in the end, fear means one cannot be saved._

_A sad fate awaits the child at last,_

_Before birth, one shall breathe her last._

_**If anybody manages to figure out the proper order for the lines in the prophecy and sends them to me then I will have you help me to write the next chapter. You have been challenged. . .**_


	11. Chapter 9

**Finally guys, I am back. I am sure you have missed me but here I am. Don't worry, I am having a little trouble with ideas but I hope this next chapter will solve all of your problems. Please review with any comments you may have and any suggestions you have for me. Thank you and please, do enjoy. XD**

"Annabeth, you have done it! You've figured out the prophecy!" I shout in excitement.

"It looks like I might have. Now we have to figure out what it means." She says, deep in thought.

"Well, what are we waiting for then? Lets go!" I shout, excited that we can get this figured out so I can get my sister back and stop all of this nonsense that has been going on lately.

_Why can't the universe just leave us alone?_ I kept thinking to myself up until this point. Now, for the first time in a long time, I actually have the chance to live a relatively normal life without all of this chaos going on almost every year since I turned twelve.

We leave the cabin, closing the door behind us, totally unaware that there was someone else in there with us, just out of sight.

The sun is shining high in the sky as Annabeth and I leave to go and find the others. Jason is in the swordplay arena with Piper, as usual, helping her to improve her swordplay. They have seemed so happy since the last time I saw them before I left for that quest only seven months ago, but it felt like forever. Jason spots us and lets his guard down for a minute and Piper manages to knock him down and is standing above him with one foot on his chest and her sword at his throat, making all of us laugh.

Piper turns around and sees us standing there and she runs over to us, dropping her sword in the dirt as Jason follows.

"What is it guys?" She asks.

"We figured out the prophecy, we think." Annabeth says.

"Well tell us then, what does it say?" Jason prods.

Annabeth looks at me and I nod, saying, "You figured it out, not me. You get to tell them, wise girl."

She smiles weakly at me before turning her head to the two standing in front of us. "Well, here goes nothing. The prophecy says. . ."

Leo waits in the shadows, just out of sight, as Percy and Annabeth leave their house and close the door behind them. Once they are gone and out of earshot, he slowly moves forward, taking a notebook and a pen out of his toolbelt. Crouching over the lines Annabeth laid out on the table, he takes notes, writing down every line, word for word.

_That's it my boy, that's it. You will be the one to figure out what this prophecy really says, not that Athena girl. You are smarter than she is. _A dark voice in my head echoes. The voice of Chaos, whispering into my ear.

I finish writing down the lines and withdraw out the front door and run as quickly as I can to Bunker 9 for some quiet and privacy. For the past three days I have been avoiding Calypso because I am not sure what will happen if I am around her. I cannot let anybody know that Chaos is in my head, I don't need to be strapped down to a bunk like Percy was.

The minute I arrive at the bunker, I cut the paper into strips and begin to put them together, the words fitting together like the pieces of a puzzle. As I put them together, I realize that some of the lines are meant to be separate and that some of the terms in there referring to he, might mean me and not Percy or Jason this time. This realization unnerves me but I persevere and finally the voice in my head rings out, _Yes! That's it! Now I know the prophecy. Keep your friends from finding out and all will go as I have promised._

_None of my friends will be harmed?_

_Not a single hair on their heads shall be harmed, I swear._

His voice disappears and I think to myself, _There's two lines missing that were never said in any of the prophecies. _I think to myself as I look down at the final prophecy, and add in those lines to my notebook and put them in where they go. _Perfect. Now I can't tell anybody about it._

A sudden grinding sound as the massive doors are pushed open catches my attention and I quickly finish scribbling the final prophecy down into my notebook and tuck it away into my toolbelt. As voices approach me, I set the scraps of paper on my workbench aflame and destroy the evidence of what I was working on.

I turn around to find Percy, Annabeth, Jason, Piper, and Calypso approaching me. Calypso is oddly silent.

"What's up guys?" I ask and Annabeth comes forward with Piper by her side and both girls slap me on either side of my face.

"You are despicable Leo Valdez." Piper says and I see why Calypso was so silent, she was crying, and I think I know why.

"What have I done?" I ask myself aloud.

"Yes, please do tell us, what have you done?" A voice booms from the doorway to the workshop.

A man steps in wearing greasy coveralls and one leg in a bronze brace. His beard slightly smoking and his head starting to go bald. Giant, meaty hands and a large body. (I mean large as in fat and muscular at the same time)

"Dad?" I ask, seeing Hephaestus waddle into the workshop, expertly navigating around some of the projects I have lying all around the floor. He flicks his wrist and a bronze cane extends and he sets the end on the ground and uses it to help himself over to us.

"How have you been, son?" He asks, sitting down on a bench and beginning to work on his leg brace.

I am looking from Leo to hi dad in astonishment but before anybody else can say anything, Hazel comes flying into the workshop, followed by Frank who is shouting after her, "Hazel! Stop! Hitting him won't help anybody! Hazel!"

Hazel ignores him as she continues to barrel towards Leo and when she gets over to him, she glares at him down the end of her nose and says, "You. . . are . . . a. . . bastard!" and she slaps him so hard across the face, the _Smack! _Reverberates throughout the whole workshop and she withdraws her hand, shaking it fiercely.

Leo falls down when Hazel slaps him (yes, she slapped him that hard) and he gets up as she starts shaking her hand.

Frank gets over to us and he takes her hand and examines us, feeling it. "It's broken." he says before turning to Leo.

"You made Hazel break her pretty little hand!" he shouts, punching Leo in the face, splitting his bottom lip before taking Hazel and walking over to another bench to sit her down and re-set her broken hand and wrap it up in a cloth.

"Damn, Frank. You can punch." Leo says, bringing his hand up to his mouth to pressure the split in his lip to get it to stop bleeding.

Frank glares at Leo and goes back to securing Hazel's bandage. I look at Annabeth with a slight grin and she looks back at me with confusion. _I'll tell you later. _I mouth to her.

"Well, if you all would mind leaving me and my son alone for a moment, I would like to talk to him in private about, matters." Hephaestus says.

"What kind of matters?" Jason asks.

"That is no concern of yours now run along and play kids." He says, waving his hand and we all are pushed back and out the door.

The giant doors close behind us with an echoing boom and we are left to walk back to camp without Leo. Annabeth, Piper, and Hazel take Calypso and they walk with her back to camp, leaving us three guys to walk back together.

"Well, that was interesting." I say.

"Yeah, it was. And Frank, nice punch!" Jason replies.

Frank smiles and turns to us, "It was wasn't it? Felt real good too." He said.

We burst out laughing and walk back to camp together. The only sounds leaving the bunker were the grinding of gears as machinery continued to work along.

"What do you want to talk about, dad?" I ask, grumpy about his interruption into this Leo smackfest that seemed to have sprung up suddenly.

"I am here to talk about you. Us gods are not supposed to interfere in your quests, but I think that an exception can be made in this one instance for you Leo, because it directly concerns a goddess." He says.

"What do you- oh, Calypso." I say, almost forgetting that she is technically a goddess.

"Yes, your, umm, girlfriend?" Dad inquires, a little unsure.

"Yes dad, well, at least, I think so. I am not sure now." I say.

"Well, I wouldn't know, if she were a machine then maybe. . ." He trails off and I wave my hand in front of his face to get his attention.

"You were here to talk to me about something Dad?" I ask.

"Oh yes, that's right. Well, not you exactly, but what is inside of you." He says, gesturing to my head.

"Dad?" I ask.

"Cut the crap Chaos, I know you're in there. Come out and talk to me like a man."

I feel a sudden cold spread through me from my head, reaching out through all of my limbs and spreading through my body. My mouth moves but the words that come out are not my own. They are darker and deeper and more threatening than anything I would've said on my own.

"Well then, come and get me old man." The deep voice of chaos says through my mouth.

Hephaestus stands up and his cane becomes a long pole and he swings it at me and I backflip out of the way. "Is that the best you can do?" I taunt unwillingly, bursting my hands into flames.

He approaches me and I shoot fire at him but he just absorbs it and smiles, swinging the now shrunken cane again. I duck under it and throw a punch but he catches it with the cane and jabs at me with his fist.

I leap back and backflip up onto a table high up off the ground. He jumps up after me. Spreading my hands out, I feel darkness exude from my fingertips and spread out to the machines in the room. They animate and come behind me.

"An army of machines against the god of the forge and metalwork? How stupid are you Chaos?" Hephaestus asks.

"Not as much as you." I say and flick my hand forward and the machines attack him.

Quick as a flash he rewires them and they short circuit and fall to the ground, useless. I use the building itself next against him and throw celestial bronze nets at him and he dodges them and leaps clear, right into the one trap I was waiting for. The perfect trap for such a god as him, a giant glass sphere with celestial bronze interweaved into the glass. You can get in, but the only way out is from the outside. It is god proof.

"Now nobody will know you are here, and I am the only one who knows how to get you out of there." I say, bending down and touching a button near the base of the sphere.

The glass ball shrinks down to the size of a rubber bouncy ball and I stick it into my magical tool belt.

"Nobody will ever know you are there." I say, walking out of the bunker and heading towards camp. "Now it is time to set my plans in motion." I say aloud. "First thing first, get rid of that Jackson boy." I wander towards camp with dark thoughts clouding my mind and none of the campers there know anything about them.

I am sitting on the back porch with Annabeth. We are watching the sunset together as we have done since I got back and have been able to get out of bed. My arm is wrapped around her shoulders and she has tucked her blonde head into the crook of my neck where it meets my shoulder. We are unaware that Leo has arrived back at camp and nobody knows what transpired in Bunker 9.

We are sitting there and Annabeth looks at me and pulls her head away and asks, "Is it just me or did Piper seem to be acting a little strange earlier today?"

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"She has been having mood swings more and more often than she ever did. And at lunch did you see how much that girl ate?" She explains, now, this might seem like stress at first but even my slow brain (filled with seaweed according to Annabeth) can tell that something is different.

"Maybe we should call and ask?" I suggest.

The phone rings and Annabeth checks who it is. "Well speak of the devil." She says. "Hello? Piper? What is it? What's been going on with you lately?"

Piper says something and Annabeth about drops the phone from surprise.

"You're what? Oh my gods! This is. . . wow. Well, congratulations girl, I will be down there with Percy tomorrow to help you guys clean up the place and get it ready."

Annabeth nods her head and listens intently to Piper as she says something else and Annabeth's face lights up again.

"We'll be there, in fact, we'll organize it. Goodnight guys!" She says.

"What was it?" I ask.

"Piper she's- she's-"

"She's what?" I ask, barely holding in a chuckle.

"She's pregnant." Annabeth says and I grab her and hold her up and give her a great big hug, spinning around as I do.

If I had done this back at home, mom would've thought I'd won the lottery. Annabeth is laughing and giggling from happiness.

"Come on, lets celebrate!" I shout.

"Tomorrow, right now, I am a bit tired, I want to go to bed." She says.

A mischievous smile crosses my face and I say, "Whatever you want dear." And I grab Annabeth's hand and we disappear into the bedroom to celebrate this great thing two of our friends now have on the way, their first child. The prophecy leaves our minds as we relish in the joy this child may bring, totally unaware that the child might be the one the prophecy is referring to.


	12. Chapter 10

"Percy? Come on buddy, get up."

"Just five more minutes mom, I don't wanna go to school yet."

"Come on Percy, we need to get ready for Piper's baby shower."

"Baby shower? But I'm not pregnant mom, i'm a guy. Guys can't get pregnant."

"Alright, that's it, no more Mrs. Nice wife. You are getting up now!" Annabeth says, more than just a little bit annoyed.

"Ah!" I scream as she yanks the blankets off of me, pulling me with them, off the bed, and right onto the floor. "Ow! What was that for?" I ask, sitting up and rubbing the bump I just got on my head.

Annabeth responds with a smile and says, "For you not waking up when I told you to, now go and get dressed, we have to get Piper a gift, her baby shower is today, remember Seaweed Brain?"

My hand flies into my face as I exclaim, "Oh shit! I forgot." By the time Annabeth stops laughing, I am already up, in the bathroom, and starting my shower.

"Don't forget soap Seaweed Brain!" she shouts at me, causing me to roll my eyes as I start washing myself. When I step out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around my waist, my hair sticking up every which way from towel drying it and a toothbrush in my mouth, I see Annabeth lying down some clothes on the bed for me.

"You don't have to do that Annabeth, I can dress myself you know that right Wise Girl?" I say teasingly while continuing to scrub my teeth.

"I know, but you usually look terrible." she says with a smirk barely suppressed on her face, making me smile.

"Well then why did you marry me?"

"As i recall, it was you who asked me to marry you."

"True, but you had told me before the idea even crossed your mind that you wondered what would happen if we did get married." I say teasingly.

"Whatever." Annabeth says. "Now get dressed, I will not let Piper see you attending her baby shower in a towel, especially with your hair looking like that." she says, shooing me back into the bathroom.

I finish brushing my teeth, grab my clothes and hurriedly throw them on. My hair is somewhat tamed by me running my fingers through it several times. Annabeth is waiting in the living room for me when I walk out.

"Now, here are a few things I need you to do to get ready for Piper's babyshower, can I trust that they will be done right?" she asks, giving me that questioning look that I love so much.

"Yeah, you trust me to get them done." I say, laughing and shaking my head as i head out to the car to get Annabeth's "honey-do" list she just gave me. Piper had better like this thing.

"Hello? Guys? Anybody in here? Percy? Annabeth?" Piper calls out into the empty house. "Come on you guys, stop playing around. Where are you?"

"Give them a moment, they aren't ready yet." Someone says from the doorway behind her.

Piper spins around to find Leo leaning casually against the door frame. "Ready for what Leo?" she asks.

"Surprise!" we all shout, jumping out from behind furniture scattered about the room.

Piper's face lights up when she sees all of us here. "What is this for you guys?"\

"It's your baby shower Pipes, don't you remember?" Jason says.

Piper places her hands on her abdomen and smiles, "Oh, you guys. Thank you soo much."

"Anything for a friend Piper." Annabeth says.

Leo steps forward and smiles saying, "I don't know about you guys, but i am ready to get this party started." We all cheer as we lead Piper over to the back where we have everything set up and ready for her.

I find myself next to Jason and i look at him, soo happy and everything. "Congratulations on the baby buddy." I say, patting him gently on the back.

"Thanks Percy, and thank you and Annabeth for doing this for Piper and me." he says.

"Like Annabeth said, anything for a friend. Now lets go and join the party man." I say.

"Right, the party, well, we can't let them have all the fun." He says.

"Well, then what are we waiting for? Lets go have fun."

The two of us jog over to the others, playing one of the games Annabeth and Hazel came up with, and poor Frank is busy too losing to Leo to notice Hazel pull Annabeth to the side and quietly talk to her.

"Annabeth, have you seen Calypso lately?" Hazel asks me.

"No, come to think of it, I haven't seen her since that day Hephaestus showed up at Bunker 9." I say. "Do you think something's happened to her?"

"No, she just seems overly upset, but she did mention that Leo hadn't been by to see her for a while. I wonder if something's up with him." Hazel says.

"We will have to wait and see if something happens, lets not think about this now though, it is Piper's baby shower." I say.

"Yeah, I guess. I wonder why Calypso isn't here though." Hazel says.

"Okay, lets take Calypso off of our minds for tonight, we can check on her tomorrow okay?" I ask, trying to get Hazel back over to the party. Piper has started looking at us funny and I don't want to make her worry.

"Alright. Lets go and sit with Piper." Hazel says.

"What were you two talking about?" Piper asked us as we came over to sit beside her.

"Nothing, just a few important things that you don't need to worry about." I say.

"Oh, okay then, feel free to share with me any time." Piper says.

"We will, just not now okay Piper?" I ask.

"Sure." she says.

"So Piper, what's it like, being pregnant I mean?" Hazel asks.

Piper and I stare at her, wide eyed. "Hazel Levesque, why do you ask? Has something happened that we should know about?" Piper asks her.

Hazel's caramel cheeks lightly flush red as she lowers her eyes to the ground. "Nothing, big, I was just curious."

Piper and I chuckle softly. "It's not all that fun, but i am sure that if you stick all the way through with it, that it is totally worth it." I say. "And Piper is definitely sticking with it all the way through, right Piper?" i say.

"Definitely. Although the morning sickness is a bit of a bitch, same with the extreme hunger, speaking of which, Jason! Could you please bring me a big plate of something?" Piper suddenly calls out.

"On it Pipes." Jason calls back before grabbing a large plate and heading over to the long table covered with food at the side of the yard.

"Now, to you and Frank, has anything exciting happened with you two?" I ask Piper.

"Well, there is this one thing…" She says, trailing off as she brushes some loose strands of hair back behind her ear.

"Come on Hazel, let's hear it." Piper says.

Hazel mumbles something quietly under her breath, just barely inaudible to us.

"What was that? You mumbled." Piper says, teasingly.

Hazel raises her head and looks at us, "Frank proposed to me last night, at dinner."

"And what did you say Hazel?" i ask, feeling a little giddy waiting for her response.

Hazel holds up her left hand and sitting there, on her ring finger, is a beautiful white-gold ring with a single beautifully carved diamond sitting in the center.

Piper and I both crush Hazel with a huge hug. At the same time we hug her, the sound of the boys cheering rings into our ears.

We break our hug and hazel looks at us and says, "What does the boys cheering mean?"

I smile and say, "It either means that the boys have turned on the basketball game and found their favorite teams playing, or they just found out about Frank's proposal."

Just then, Jason walked up with a platter heaping with food. "For my wife." he says, setting the platter down in front of Piper.

"Thank you Jason." she says before digging into it, her face is stuffed full of gummy worms, pickles, tuna sandwich, and cake before any of us can register what has just happened.

She swallows and looks at our stunned faces, "What? Can't a pregnant girl eat?"

We burst out laughing before Jason walks off to talk with the guys.

"Come on Percy, get up Seaweed Brain." Annabeth says.

I groan when she pulls my arm, trying to get me to move. "Not yet, it's too early, and i feel like shit." I mumble through my dry, sandpapery tongue and hoarse throat.

"Looks like someone had more than just a little too much to drink last night." Annabeth says.

"Was there booze there? I shoulda' had some." I say, groggily rising to my feet. A sharp pain flies through my head, causing me to collapse.

"Woah there, easy does it, we don't want you to fall and hurt yourself Percy." Annabeth says as she catches me. "Come on, let's get you to the kitchen."

Annabeth helps me towards the kitchen. I open my eyes but quickly close them tight. "Could somebody turn off the sun? It's too bright out here." I say.

"There is hardly any sunlight out here. It is five in the morning Percy."

"That late already? Guess I should be getting to bed then." I say before my eyes fall closed and my head rolls onto Annabeth's shoulder, my legs give out and Annabeth is left with my whole weight on her shoulder.

"Ooh Percy! You are way too heavy! Stop eating soo much."

"I swear it wasn't beer mom! Just a few shots of tequila! I'm not drunk." I say. "I only had three bottles, honest."

"Ugh, Percy, why couldn't you pass out on the floor inside the house?" Annabeth groans as she drags me across the yard and back over to the house.

"Is Percy alright?" Tyson calls from behind us.

"Hey, big-little brother! I'm not drunk. Tequila good, it makes you feel better! Try some." I shout to Tyson.

"Whats wrong with Percy? Did he get a bumped head?" Tyson asks.

"No, he just had too much tequila last night. I think Leo brought it." Annabeth says.

"Tequila? Where?" My head perks up and I look around for any tequila that might be nearby. "Annabeth, don't trick me like that, you know I'm drunk." I say before my head falls back onto her shoulder and my eyes close again.

"Tyson, could you give me a hand with Percy?" Annabeth asks.

"I help Mrs. Percy with brother." Tyson says. "Where do I take him?" he asks, holding me like a baby, making Annabeth laugh a little.

"Take him into the kitchen and sit him down on one of the chairs at the table. Help yourself to the peanut butter in the pantry Tyson." Annabeth says before running into the house to grab some alka seltzer tablets for me.

Tyson sets me gently into one of the chairs at the table before walking over to the pantry to open the peanut butter container. My head rolls forward and I slam the side of my face onto the wooden table, real hard. I sit up and look around. Annabeth sets down a glass of water in front of me and sits down in the chair beside mine.

"Drink up Percy, this should help you feel better." She says.

I pick up the glass and chug it down. Annabeth pulls out a little golden cube and sets it down in front of me right beside my empty glass.

"Eat it, this should sober you up quick." She says.

I pick up the Ambrosia cube and pop it into my mouth. The flavor of my mom's delicious cookies floods into my mouth and I smile. Suddenly my head clears and I look at Annabeth. "How did I get in here? What happened last night?" I ask.

"You had a little bit too much tequila to drink last night." she says.

"Oh my god, Annabeth, I am soo sorry, I didn't even know Leo had the tequila with him, I swear." I say quickly, feeling very guilty for getting drunk.

"It's okay Percy, you were just having a little fun. Frank had a bit too much as well. I am sure Hazel is chewing him out about it right now. Jason was the only one of you four who didn't drink any of the tequila Leo brought over."

"Well he can't, he has a baby on the way, and Piper would probably kill him if he had even one sip." I say.

"Yeah, she would. Anyway, thank you Tyson for the help. Keep the peanut butter, why don't you see if Ella wants any?" Annabeth asks.

Tyson's face lights up. "Great idea Mrs. Percy! Take care of my brother for me. And Percy, no more tequila, it's bad for you." Tyson says before running out the back door and all the way back to camp.

Once Tyson disappears behind the hill that separates camp from the beach where Annabeth had our house built, Annabeth turns to me and smiles.

"What are you smiling about?" I ask her.

"Nothing, I was just wondering…" she trails off.

"Wondering what?" I inquire.

"Well, you made me a proposal last night, and I was wondering if it was still valid." Annabeth says coyly.

"What sort of- oh." I say, suddenly understanding what she was talking about.

"Well, is it?" Annabeth prods.  
I turn to her and smile, "Anytime you want, I am ready." I respond, pecking her on the lips before turning away.

Annabeth gets up and asks, "Would now be a good time?"

"Now would be an excellent time." I reply, standing up and walking over to her.

She leads me into the bedroom and closes the door behind her. By the time I turn around, her shirt is on the floor and she is unbuttoning her shorts. Before any thought can enter my mind as to how beautiful she is, we are in bed and have turned our minds to nothing but passion.

There is a sharp knock at the door, but neither of us can hear it over the sound of our own heartbeats.

Annabeth walks into the kitchen wearing one of my clean camp t-shirts. It is too big for her, but she put it on for that very reason.

"What time is it Percy?" Annabeth asks me.

"About two forty-five in the afternoon. Why?" I ask. "Do you have to be someplace?"

"No, I was just a little curious. I also wasn't expecting to take a nap today." She replies before grabbing a leftover sandwich from last night out of the fridge.

She bends over to grab it and for a brief moment I get a view of a place that I alone among men will ever see. I turn away after receiving an accidental glimpse of that area, currently hidden beneath my shirt on her body. Annabeth pulls out the chair beside me and sits down beside me.

A furious knocking startles both of us but as i start to stand up, Annabeth turns to me and says, "No Percy, i'll get it, you keep eating."

I smile and sit back down. Annabeth plants a gentle peck on my cheek before walking down the hall to the front door, her bare feet making a gentle slapping sound on the polished wooden floor.

_Who could that be at the door? _I ask myself before immersing myself back into eating my enormous bowl of cereal. Amazing how spending time with Annabeth like that could make me so hungry.

_Where could that girl be? We were supposed to meet almost nine hours ago. _I think to myself as I stand on her front porch. My finger stretches towards the doorbell just as I hear the latch inside unlatching and the door creaks open.

I am greeted with the sight of Annabeth standing there, in the doorway, wearing one of Percy's camp t-shirts.

"Busy day I take it?" I inquire, noting her apparel, or rather, the lack of it. _She had better be glad Hazel isn't here right here. At least she has a shirt on though, I would not want to see her like that. _I think to myself, mentally shaking my head.

"Oh my gods, Piper! I am soo sorry! I completely forgot." Annabeth says, momentarily forgetting that she was wearing just a shirt as she throws her arms around my neck, hugging me tight, and, well, you get the idea of what was revealed.

"Annabeth?"

"Yes Piper?" Annabeth asks, still hugging me.

"I believe that you are not dressed for hugging." I say.

Annabeth instantly breaks her embrace, her face extremely bright red as she pulls the shirt back down. "Sorry Piper, come in, have a seat in the kitchen while I get dressed." Annabeth says, hurriedly ushering me in.

"You do that." I say.

Annabeth quickly closes the door behind me and races off down the hall, her bare feet padding loudly on the smooth wooden floor. She pops her head into the kitchen and calls out to Percy, says something to him, and then races back down the hall to their room.

_Oh my gods, that was embarrassing, I thought it felt a little more breezy than usual down there I don't know what I was thinking when I put that on. Okay Annabeth, just get dressed and hope Hazel doesn't kill you. _I think to myself before pulling my clothes on and racing back into the kitchen to grab Piper.

"Come on Piper, lets go and find Hazel." I say. "See you later Percy, don't eat all the food in the pantry, its for snacks only okay?"

Percy smiles and stands up and walks towards me. "Whatever you say Wise girl," he says before planting a swift kiss on my lips. "Don't do anything stupid now, remember, Piper is pregnant so behave you two." he teases with a smirk.

"No promises." I say before stepping out the door.

I watch the two of them walk down the cobblestone path leading back to camp and smile. _My Percy, you are one lucky man. _I think to myself before closing the front door and walking back into the bedroom.

Our clothes are scattered about the floor, the bed is torn apart. "_We made quite the mess this morning,"_ I think out loud.

A knock sounds at the door and makes me jump. "My Annabeth, did you forget something?" I ask, opening the door. I was surprised to see, "Jason? What are you doing here?"

"Thank the gods, Percy. You're still here." He says.

"Of course I'm still here, why wouldn't I be?" I inquire.

"I need to talk to you, do you have a minute?" he asks.

"Yeah I've got a minute, okay, come in then…" I say as Jason pushes past me and heads towards the kitchen.

"Percy, I need you to sit down for a moment." he says.

"Yeah, and I need you to stop pacing back and forth in the kitchen Jason. honestly, what has gotten you so worked up?" I ask.

Jason pulls over a chair and sits down at the same time that I sit down.

"I couldn't believe what Calypso said earlier, but now I think she's right. Gods, how come I didn't see it before. And everything seemed like it was going to be easy for all of us." He says, confusing me almost as soon as he started.

"Woah, Jason, back it up. What did Calypso tell you?" I ask.

"Have you noticed anything strange going on lately?" he asks me.

"Yes I have, you pacing back and forth nervously in my kitchen." I say.

"Yes- no. Besides that." he says.

"Not that I can think about." I say.

"Percy, Listen to me very carefully. Are you hearing what I'm saying?" he asks.

"I don't even know what you are saying man." I reply.

"What I'm saying-"

"Or trying to say." I interrupt.

"Yes, or trying to say. Well- um-"

"Spit it out already man." I say.

"I think that Leo is not himself." he says.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Percy, I think Leo is possessed by Chaos." Jason says.

"No. If you're right, we have to tell Annabeth."

"Stop Percy. We have to keep this a secret. If Leo finds out, Chaos might make him kill the others. So whatever you do. Don't. Tell. Annabeth." he says fiercely.

"Jason, you know I am bad at keeping things from her."

"I know, but you have to try."

"For the camp's safety, I will." I say. "So what are we going to do about Leo?" I ask.

"Well, that is what we have to figure out next." Jason says.

**Sorry for the long wait guys, I was a little bit off of things for a while. But as I promised, here is the next chapter for all of you. I hope you enjoyed it. All of your reviews are very helpful. I will introduce the first ten reviewers with my next chapter and for each of you lucky ten, I will put a personal thanks for your review. Have fun. The next chapter should be done a lot sooner than this one was, I promise guys.**


	13. Chapter 11

**Hey guys, here is another chapter, sorry about the wait, I was a little busy over the past few weeks or a month, it has been so long that I don't remember when the last time I added another chapter in was. Anyway, please review you guys, I need reviews to keep my ideas coming, as promised, the first five to ten reviewers on the last two chapters will be thanked for their contribution to this story.**

** NightShadow99**

** Guest (Whoever you are, you are genuinely thanked.)**

**Only two reviews, oh well, anyway please review. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. I honestly hope the next wait won't be so long.**

**Your friendly online writer,**

**The Argronaut**

As I step out the front door to my house and onto the porch, the daunting task of keeping Leo's condition a secret from Annabeth hits me for the first time since Jason left about an hour ago. His words as he left were puzzling.

"If anybody asks if you have seen me, don't tell them I was here; deny even seeing me today, or any time since last night."

Jason left with that, just flying off away from the back door and back towards camp.

"I am so going to fail at this." I say aloud to myself.

"And what is it that you are going to fail at?" a surprising voice questions from behind me, making me jump.

I turn around to find, "Leo, hey man, what's up? Why are you standing creepily in the shadows on my porch?"

"Not much. I just came around for a visit, got a little lonely you know, and I can't find Jason anywhere. How about you fish boy? Anything new happen? Any unexpected visitors?" He asks, stepping out of the shadows.

_Fish boy? Okay, something is definitely up with Leo. _I think to myself. "No, not anything important at least; and the only unexpected visitor that I have had so far today is you." I say.

"Ah, I see. Anyway, where's Annabeth? You two are usually like, three inches apart."

"Oh, she went out with Piper to go see Hazel about some girl stuff."

"Have you seen Jason?" Leo asks.

"No, why? He owe you something?"

"Something like that. Oh well, that's too bad, I wanted to talk to him."

"I see, now, what is going on with you and Calypso? It looks like you two are headed towards splitsville if you're not there already." I inquire, attempting to change the subject.

"Don't know. You have to trust me when I say that whatever happens next is for the best Percy." Leo says ominously.

"What do you mean by that?" I inquire, almost afraid of his response.

"Don't lie to me Percy, I know Jason was here. Whatever he told you, is all true." Leo says, walking around to the door, blocking my way into the house.

"I swear, Jason hasn't been here." I retort.

"You see Percy; I haven't quite been myself lately, so it would be unwise to lie to me. Now, tell me where Jason has gone, and I might let you live." Leo says, his eyes flashing black momentarily before turning back to normal.

"Trust me Leo, we've noticed that something's off with you," I say, slipping my hand into my pocket, lightly fingering Riptide.

Leo sits down on the hanging bench beside the door. "Ever since I came back to life, I have had the feeling that I'm not the only one up here," he says, tapping his head. "I get the feeling that at any moment I might snap. So I would suggest you let go of Riptide before something bad happens to you Percy, I would hate to lose a friend." Leo threatens before leaning back on the bench, gently rocking back and forth. "Now, I thought I was crazy so I just ignored it. Then, your sister washed up on the beach and suddenly, everything became clear. Now I can see how it is all connected, the Titan war, the war against Gaea; the war between the two camps, your sister washing up on the beach, your quest to find her; the quests that followed, Piper's pregnancy, the buzzing in my head, the prophecies, all of it is connected."

"Leo, you sound totally nuts right now." I say, tightening my grip on Riptide.

"NO! No, I'm not nuts; I can see all of it." He whips his head towards me. "You, Percy, are the reason for it all; you have been carefully molded into who you are now. You have a job to do, everything that has happened in your life has happened for a reason. Your destiny was chosen back before even the gods had been born." Leo's voice starts getting deeper; he rises from the bench and approaches me, his eyes flashing black. "You have a destiny Percy Jackson, and you will fulfill that destiny." The voice speaking is no longer the voice of Leo Valdez, it is more primal, more chaotic, the voice of pure evil, the voice, of Chaos.

I draw Riptide, the blade extending in front of me, pointed right at Leo's throat. "I have no destiny; I make my own, for my friends, and for my family." I calmly say.

"GO AHEAD SON OF POSEIDON! FACE ME! Fight it as long as you want Percy Jackson, but you will fulfill your destiny. The world will return to chaos, and I shall rule!" The voice says. Leo flicks his wrist and I fly back towards the beach, Riptide flying out of my hand as I slam into the sand.

"Leo, you are totally nuts!" I shout at him.

He smiles. "You will see Percy Jackson, eventually you will see." He says before holding out his hand towards me with his palm down and moving his hand down.

The sand around me turns to a formless black liquid and I sink down into it until just my head is left above the strange mass.

Leo walks over to me, stepping onto the black mass and walking right over it. He leans down until his mouth is beside my ear. "Percy Jackson, you will destroy the world for me. It is your destiny. In time, you will see, in time." He whispers into my ear before standing up and walking away, disappearing into the shadows.

The black mass around me turns back to sand and the sudden force of the sand around my body makes me pass out. As the world goes black, I see Annabeth's beautiful blonde hair and her sweet smile and I know that I will do whatever it takes to keep this world safe for her, for my friends, and for my future children. "I will fight for you Annabeth. No matter what, I will fight for you." I say, then, the world becomes black.


	14. Chapter 12

"Oh, Percy, why does this keep on happening to you?" Annabeth whispers to me, gently holding my hand in hers.

"Annabeth, I'm afraid that you need to head back home, we can take care of him. You need some sleep." A man says from somewhere off to my right.

"But, he needs me, I know it, Percy needs me. I can't just-"

"Annabeth," I whisper, barely able to say her name.

"Percy? Percy?" Annabeth asks, leaning closer to me.

"Please Mrs. Jackson, go and get some rest, three days without sleep isn't healthy." The man says to Annabeth.

"Okay, but come and get me the moment he wakes up, okay?" Annabeth asks.

"Of course Mrs. Jackson." The man says again.

I feel Annabeth's grip on my hand loosen as she stands up. Before her hand can leave mine, I tighten my hand, trapping hers in mine. "Annabeth, please don't go." I say, a little stronger.

Annabeth immediately stops and grips my hand tight. Leaning down towards me, she asks, "Percy? Are you awake?"

My eyes flutter open and I ask, "What do you think?" smiling as I do.

"I'm going to go and get Chiron." The man who was talking with Annabeth earlier says before running off.

"I was so worried Percy. We found you buried up to your neck in the sand, what happened?" Annabeth asks.

"Leo, it was Leo." I say, then I pull her closer, my lips right beside her ear and whisper, "He's possessed by Chaos. He's been completely taken over."

"We know Percy. Calypso figured as much when he started avoiding her." Annabeth says. "Oh, here comes Chiron… and everyone else." Annabeth says, a little disappointed by the whole camp coming.

"What happened Percy? Please tell me everything." Chiron asks, standing beside my bed, looking worriedly at me.

"Well, Leo came by, looking for Jason, and I made him mad. We fought, and he turned the sand into this weird black substance, my eyes refused to focus on it. Every time I tried to look at it, my eyes would look at something else. Leo pushed me into it and walked away, turning the stuff back into sand."

"This is very troubling, very troubling indeed. If Chaos is already strong enough that he can turn summon chaos particles from matter, then it won't be long before he begins to try to rise out of his hidden domain and return to the world." Chiron says thoughtfully.

"Annabeth, do you know what he is talking about?" I ask, looking to her.

"Actually, I'm just as lost as you Percy." Annabeth says.

"Well, then maybe I can help explain things a little for you two." A voice says from behind the campers silently gathered around inside the med-tent. "Oh come on, move aside, out of my way, yes, that's it, hey, I said move! Thank you. There, that's better." Dionysus says, smirking about having just pushed his way through the campers so he is now standing beside Chiron. "So Peter and Cynthia Johnson."

"Percy and Annabeth Jackson." I grumble under my breath.

"That's what I said. Anyway, chaos particles are what the universe was made of before the first stars were ever born. The, 'Big Bang' as your scientists call it, was caused by the chaos particles. When it happened, the particles fused together to form atoms and the atoms collected to make gas and that made the stars and planets, blah blah blah. But the chaos particles are still inside of every atom. If Chaos can return the chaos particles to their original state, then that means that we don't have a lot of time before the world ends." He says. "What? Why is everyone staring at me? Hey, I'm not as dumb as you think I am." Dionysus says.

"Okay, so about how long do we have before the world ends?" I ask.

"Well, judging from how the chaos particles returned to sand when Leonard walked away, I'd say about five, maybe six months. So I would suggest you all get going as fast as you can. You might want to look for that Valdango boy before you set off on your quest. Oh, and that prophecy of yours, you might want to take another look at it." Dionysus says before snapping his fingers and disappearing with a _Pop_, leaving behind the fragrance of freshly picked grapes.

"We need To find Leo." I say.

"I agree," Chiron says, "but first we need to figure out how many people are supposed to go on this quest of yours."

"Four. The four of us who got each part of the prophecy should go on the quest." Annabeth says confidently.

"And how did you figure that out?" Clarisse asks.

"All four of us, Jason, Tyson, Me, and Percy all got one part of the big prophecy. We all have a part of it that talks about us so it makes sense that we would be the four to go on the quest." Annabeth says, going all logic queen.

"I believe that Annabeth is right." Chiron says. "It is decided, the four of you will go on this quest together. Percy, are you ready or will you need some time to heal?"

"Just get me some water and I'll be fine." I say with a grin.

"Very well. I expect you four to be at the campfire tomorrow morning, ready to go." Chiron says. "It is best not to delay. Everyone else, back to your normal activities."

Everyone leaves except for Tyson, Ella, Jason, Piper, Annabeth, Grover, Frank, Hazel, and me of course.

"What do we do now?" Frank asks.

"Well, while I'm gone, I would appreciate it if you guys who are staying would keep an eye on Pipes for me. The moment the baby is born, no, the moment she goes into labor, I want you to Iris message me." Jason says.

"We'll do just that man. Don't you worry." Grover says with a smile. "Is there anything I can help you with Percy and Annabeth before you guys leave?"

"Well, you could help me pack G-man." I say.

"I'm on it!" Grover yelps before racing off towards mine and Annabeth's house.

"Ella doesn't want Tyson to go. Ella wants Tyson to stay." Ella says.

"But Percy needs me, I need to help my brother." Tyson says to Ella.

"Ella isn't happy." Ella pouts.

"Do you want to take care of my dog?" Tyson offers, forgetting that Ella isn't too fond of Mrs. O'Leary.

"Ella will, if Tyson promises to come back alive." Ella says.

"I promise not to let monsters or Chaos kill me dead." Tyson says with a smile.

"Ella is happy then." She says before flying away, Tyson following her.

"Well, we should probably get going then." Jason says before walking off with Piper.

"Hey Percy, be careful okay?" Frank asks.

"Same to you Annabeth." Hazel adds.

"We will guys, don't worry." I say with a smile.

"We'll be fine, I'll keep an eye on him for you guys. Besides, if Percy dies, I'll kill him." Annabeth says, smiling reassuringly.

"Okay, well, good luck you guys. And get some sleep Annabeth." Hazel says before walking off with Frank.

"Here you go." One of the Apollo campers says, handing me a bowl of water.

"Thank you." I say before placing it on the ground. With Annabeth's help I manage to sit up and put my feet into the water. In moments, I am fully healed and Annabeth helps me to stand up, me being a little weakened from lying down for three days.

We make our way back to our house where we both collapse onto our bed, completely exhausted. Grover tucks us in and then packs our bags carefully.

**Off in the woods of Camp Half-Blood…**

I am standing here, in the woods, trees all around me. The darkness is closing in, it nourishes me as I slowly draw strength from it. Experimentally, I hold out my hand and feel for the chaos particles in the ground in front of me. With little effort, I draw them out, turning the ground into a dark black substance. The darkness of it is darker than the black of a sealed in cave. The energy radiating out from it gives me even more strength.

_Yes, that's it, the particles are once again under my control. _The voice in my head thinks, feeling the energy of the particles. But, just as soon as it is said, the particles vanish and the ground returns to normal and I am left weakened. _Not the best result, but it is at least a start. Before long we will have reached our full strength and then the world will be over. _I shake my head.

"What is the point of that? Don't you want the world to rule for yourself?" I ask the voice.

_Why would I want to rule this place? No, I seek to return the universe back to its pure form, to bring back the beauty it once had, to return this universe to the chaos from where it began. _The voice says. _But to do that I need to become stronger. Find these friends of yours going on the quest, lead them to me, their lives will nourish me and give me the strength I need._

"Whatever you say." I respond before turning and heading back towards Camp Half-Blood. "Well guys, it looks like I'm going to be joining you."

_Now Leo Valdez, it begins._

**The next morning…**

"Are you guys ready?" I ask, looking at Tyson, Jason, and Annabeth. All three of them have a sleepy look on their faces.

"We're as ready as we'll ever be." Jason says, following his statement with a huge yawn.

"Well, it looks like I got here just in time. I thought I would miss you guys before you left." Leo says from behind us.

I uncap Riptide and the blade appears in my hand. Annabeth draws her knife, Jason pulls out his sword, and Tyson grabs the big stick given to him by the gods several years ago.

Low holds up his hands, "Woah guys, I'm not here to fight."

"Then why are you here?" Annabeth asks in a very menacing tone, giving me the willies.

"Chaos told me to come, and so I came. I don't know why, but he wants me to help you so that is just what I am going to do. Please don't kill me, you'll just make him really mad." Leo says.

"Hmmph." I say before capping Riptide and putting the pen back into my pocket. The others put away their weapons as well.

"If you hurt any of us, I will kill you." Annabeth says.

"Same for me." Jason says.

"And me." Tyson says with a scowl.

"You already know what I'm going to say." I tell Leo.

"Well it seems that we now have another person on this quest of yours." Charon says, walking into the scene.

Leo smiles, "Hello Charon, nice to see you again."

Charon nods politely. "Now to business, where will you all start?" He asks.

"Nevada." Leo says without hesitation. "It was the last place Percy saw his sister, so it would be best to start there. Oh, and Annabeth, you may be needing this. I figured out the prophecy a while ago." He says, handing her a slip of paper he pulls out from his toolbelt.

She takes it cautiously and looks at it.

"What does it say?" I ask her.

"It says:

You shall go west alone without friends,

A sister to save has the means to an ends.

A single goal clouding the mind.

A seeker knows not what he will find.

Without knowledge of pleasure or pain,

A child of two demigods,

Will fight and survive to face the odds.

A sad fate awaits the child at last,

Before birth one shall breathe her last.

Stacked against favor with care,

An oath is made,

Not to harm even a single hair.

A place without mercy,

A place without death,

A place where a hero,

Takes his last breath,

What has risen and fallen

Has not long forgotten

Those who dug his grave

The world which is now his

To hide from or brave...

Without fear a hero is made.

A path is followed all in vain,

Through fire, torture, evil and rain,

Alone one must travel all over again.

A quest long forgot,

A hero knows not,

Without an end the path is sought,

A battle lost but never fought.

The fallen darkness arises at last,

Work hard before the day all demigods die comes to pass.

I guess that i wasn't that far off then." Annabeth says thoughtfully.

"Well, now we know the real prophecy, but the question is, how will we get to Nevada. We can't take the camp vans all the way out there." I say.

"I have a solution. When I fixed Festus, I also made him able to turn into the Argo II again, but it's going to be a bit smaller than it was before." Leo says.

"All in favor of taking Leo's possible deathtrap, raise your hands." I say. Nobody but Leo raises their hand. "All those in favor of walking to Nevada?" I ask. Suddenly, everyone starts saying that they'll take the Argo II.

"Let me get our ride then." Leo says before letting out a shrill whistle. In moments the ship flies over our heads and a ladder is dropped from the deck. "All aboard." Leo says with a smile.


	15. Author's Note 3

**Author's Note**

Hey everyone, I am soo sorry about not updating in forever, things have been extremely busy for me recently and I haven't had very much time to work on it recently. I promise you guys that I am working on it right now, but as of now there is no real estimate as to how long it will take me to finish and post it. So just sit tight guys and gals, I promise, your patience will be rewarded. And please, don't forget to send in reviews. I'm counting on all of you to help me to keep my ideas flowing. Until I post my next chapter, I will leave you with this.

Good luck, and please all of you, never stop reading, and never stop writing. Your ideas and passion are worth more than all the money in the world. I'll see you all in the words of your next story, and you'll see me in those of my own.


	16. Chapter 13

The ship is just like I remembered it, the sails were high, the deck bronze, but everything was a bit smaller. Annabeth looks at me and smiles a little cautiously. I smile back and turn to Leo standing there, looking a little awkward with us looking at him.

"Well, um, you guys know where your old rooms were I guess, and if you don't, just choose one, I'll probably be sleeping on the bridge though." He says, a little softly, the deep voice that used to speak over his is oddly absent.

"Well, I guess we should all get settled in then. Alright guys, go find yourselves a room and get unpacked. Annabeth and I will keep an eye on Leo for now, unless you guys want to do it instead?" I ask, a little hopeful that they would offer. Sadly, they just nod and walk below.

Tyson looks back at me and smiles saying, "Be careful brother, I don't want you to fall off and hurt yourself. Falling is bad for you, and you hurt will make me sad." He says and goes below when I smile and nod at him.

"Well, Annabeth, it's just you, me, and Leo." I say, stating the obvious.

"Hey, Percy, could you help me out up here?" Leo calls from the bridge, making me and Annabeth jump.

"Am I the only one who is wondering how he got up there so fast?" Annabeth asks me.

"No, I'm a little curious myself." I say before heading over to the bridge.

"Where were you when you were looking for your sister?" Leo asks me.

"Well, I'm not really sure, I'd say just set a course west and I should recognize it when I see it." I say, a little embarrassed that I was confused about this.

"Okay. Here we go. On the road again." Leo starts singing.

"Please don't sing buddy, it's a little unnerving." I say, shutting Leo up pretty fast.

I head out on deck and step up to the railing where Annabeth is standing, watching the sun as it rises over Half-Blood Hill.

"I love the sunrises here, they're so beautiful." She says.

"Yeah, they really are aren't they." I say, putting my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as I stand beside her, watching the sunrise with her.

I lay on the bed, the room turning red from the light of the rising sun shining through the porthole beside me. A shimmering from beside me startles me as an Iris message opens up beside me. "Who would be calling at this hour?" I ask before looking over at the message.

"Hey Jason."

"Hey there pipes." I say, glad to see Piper's face.

"You on your way to start your quest?" She asks me.

"Yeah, I am." I say, a little tired still.

"I miss you already Jason, and so does this little guy." She says, rubbing her swollen belly affectionately.

I smile, "I miss you guys too. Don't get in any trouble while I'm gone okay?" I say, trying to be concerned and tired at the same time.

"We will- hey, isn't that the Argo II?" Piper asks, looking at the hull beside my bed and the porthole where the light is coming from.

"Yeah, Leo kinda fixed it and his dragon Festus is the ship again. But it's a bit smaller." I say, a little uncomfortable being in here.

"Is Leo there?" Piper asks, a little angry sounding.

"Yeah, but Percy and Annabeth are keeping an eye on him." I say, following it with a big yawn. "I hate to cut this conversation short, but I'm kinda' tired Pipes." I say, trying to keep my eyes open.

"Okay, well you be careful and don't die, and be safe, and don't let monsters hurt anyone, and be safe, and-"

I cut her off, "And I'll wear my helmet when I go biking with friends. Man, you're a little worried." I say, unable to stop myself from grinning.

"I can't help it, I'm worried about you, and the baby, and everything else." Piper says.

"Don't worry, you are going to be a great mom." I say.

"Thank you Jason and- I have to go, I'm about to throw up." She says, her face turning green as her cheeks puff out.

"Just don't get the bed or floor! try to get to the bathroom!" I shout at her as the message dissipates.

My head hits the pillow and a smile plasters itself across my face. Piper is going to be a really good mom, and I can't wait to be a dad.

Camp Half-Blood disappears behind us as we sail through the air past the border and off into the distance, headed west, away from our home, our family, our friends, and towards unknown danger and monsters, and possibly, if we're unlucky enough, the possible end of the world, again.

"I can't believe we're doing this again." Annabeth says, looking up at me with a smile.

"Doing what?" I ask, smiling back, not really caring about her answer.

"Going on a quest together, after so many years, here we are again, back where we started so long ago, on a quest to save the world." She says, smiling a little more.

"Oh, you mean we're doing that thing where we go somewhere with a vague idea of what we're doing, basically asking monsters to have us as dinner?" I ask, making Annabeth laugh a little.

"Yeah, that." She says.

"I hate quests." I say.

"We became friends because of a quest." She says.

"Yeah, but that's different." I say.

"How?" Annabeth asks.

"Because. . . it was." I say, unable to think of a real reason why it's different.

"See? You can't come up with anything."Annabeth says.

"Give me a minute, I'll think of something." I say.

"One, two, three, four-"

I kiss Annabeth on the mouth, stopping her from counting anymore.

"That's the reason it was different, I didn't kiss you then." I say, smiling at myself and my brilliant reason, making Annabeth laugh.

"Actually, yes you did." She says.

"No, you kissed me then." I say.

"Damn, but still, it's just like the old days, you and me on a quest to save the world."

"Except, we're missing the G-man." I say.

"Well, let's forget that part." Annabeth says, smiling at me as she lays her head down on my shoulder, closing her eyes.

"Okay." I whisper to her, laying my head down on hers. "It's just the two of us then, and that's all that matters." I whisper, closing my eyes and rocking gently side to side as the wind blows past us.

An image of my home pops up into my mind. It's clean, now that Smelly Gabe is gone, mom is standing in the living room, a tray of blue cookies in her hand and a smile on her face. Paul is standing beside her, smiling at me as I walk in, the smells of home flood back into my nose as I look around, all the furniture is where it was when I was last there, with Annabeth, and everything is so calm, so nice, so much like the life I used to have at home.

My eyes slowly open and I look out at the sun now sitting a ways above the horizon, turning the sky a light blue, the puffy clouds floating by overhead. I look down at Annabeth, still gently rocking side to side with me, her head resting on my shoulder and her eyes closed. A smile slowly spreads across my face as I look at her there, looking so peaceful, so graceful, so beautiful. Without a sound I lay my head on hers again, my lips right beside her ear.

I whisper into her ear, "I love you Annabeth."

Her eyes flutter open and I raise my head as she looks up at me with a smile. "I love you too Percy." She says back.

"I get the feeling that you two would like some music." Leo says through a speaker on the mast behind us. "How does this song sound?" He asks, putting on a song.

"Do you know what song this is?" Annabeth asks me, smiling.

"What song is it?" I ask her, smiling as I do, getting the feeling she does.

"Well, I don't listen to country music very often, but this one song I do know." She says.

"And what song is that?" I ask, smiling a little more as Annabeth's face lights up bright red, making me chuckle.

"Highway Don't Care by Tim McGraw." She says, blushing a little.

"And what should we do with this song?" I ask, thinking I know what she's going to say.

"I think I would like to dance with you." She says.

I step back from the railing and offer her my hand. Annabeth smiles as she takes it and steps forward, into my arms. My hands rest on her hips and her hands lay on my shoulders and we sway back and forth for a little while, slowly making our way together across the deck of the ship.

As we dance, we get closer and closer together, moving across the deck of the ship slowly, holding eachother in our arms.

"This song is a little sad." I say.

"I know, but I love it anyway." Annabeth says.

"And I love you." I say.

We keep dancing as the music starts to speed up as it reaches the end of the song. The ship slowly rocks side to side in the wind, allowing me and Annabeth to sway along with the rocking of the boat as we get closer and closer together. As the last few words of the song are sung, I rest my forehead against hers, both of us closing our eyes.

"I can't live without you Annabeth." I whisper to her.

"And I can't live without you Percy." Annabeth whispers back.

I find myself leaning in towards her, and she leans in towards me, both of us taking a breath at the same time. Our lips meet and we sway side to side a little longer as the music fades out. Time stops as Annabeth and I kiss, nothing but the two of us exists right now and we silently enjoy this moment. When we pull away, the wind blowing past us takes up the space between our faces.

"I take it this means you two need to switch out with us?" Jason asks from behind us, making us jump.

"Percy, what are you doing to Annabelle's face?" Tyson asks.

"You don't need to see that Tyson, it's kissy face, yucky stuff, not for cyclopses." I say, not sure how else to explain it to him.

"Okay. You and Annabeth should go down below before you two do anything embarrassing up here in front of me, Tyson, and Leo. And I will explain kissing to Tyson." Jason says, trying to keep from laughing.

"Thanks man." I say.

"Percy!" Annabeth says, a little teasingly.

"What?" I ask, a little confused.

"You forgot to say good morning to everyone." Annabeth says.

"Oh, right. Good Morning Jason and Tyson. Well, goodnight then." I say, realising that it was almost night and that the sun was setting on the horizon.

"What you mean Percy?" Tyson asks, "I just got up."

"Yes, but Percy and I need to go to sleep, we are tired." Annabeth explains softly in what sounds like a mom voice.

_Is she working on that already? Should I be scared or excited about this? Why am I thinking like this? Oh well, and we're going down below now, okay, well Percy, time to choose a room, get unpacked, and take a nap._

Annabeth takes my hand and drags me down below the deck of the ship. We pass by several rooms and stop at one that seems to be in a familiar place, then it hits me, it's Annabeth's old room on the old Argo II. She opens the door and we drop our bags on the bed. Before I can even think about taking off my shoes, she grabs a blanket and my hand, leading me back out into the hallway, closing the door behind us.

"Where are we going?" I ask her.

"You'll see, if it's still there." Annabeth responds with a smile.

We go down a flight of stairs and pass through a set of double doors. The familiar layout of the pegasus stables Leo built in the first Argo II appears in front of me, the size hasn't changed, and hay is still strewn about the floor, the glass doors under our feet unnerving me a little but Annabeth lays the blanket on the ground. Without a sound, she sits down on it and motions for me to sit beside her.

Once I am firmly seated beside her, she lays her head on my shoulder and wraps her arms around my right arm, pulling me closer to her. "I love it here." She says.

"Now all we're missing is Coach hedge to yell at us tomorrow morning for spending the night here, together." I say.

"Haha, thats right, I forgot this was the first place we slept together." Annabeth says.

"But without sex." I add, feeling that it needs to be said.

"Percy!" Annabeth cries out, sounding a little shocked.

"What?" I ask, again confused.

"You wanted to. . . that night?" She asks, leaning away from me, but not letting go of my arm, keeping herself anchored to me.

"What? No! That's not what I- no!" I say, trying to make up for what I just accidentally implied, turning bright red.

"So what did you want that night?" Annabeth asks, leaning back against my arm, turning her face up to mine with a smile.

"I wanted to talk to you, spend time with you, do boyfriendly things, but not sex. I was expecting to be there for a while, but it was as surprising to me as it was to you that we fell asleep together here that night. It wasn't that I didn't like it, but I wasn't expecting it, geez, it's harder to do this than I thought." I say, turning about seven different shades of red.

"Percy," Annabeth chuckles, "You don't have to explain yourself, I know you better than that." She says with a smile. "And please stop turning red, I can't take you seriously when you're that shade." Annabeth says, trying to keep from laughing.

"How about I turn blue?" I ask, taking in a deep breath.

"Percy, that isn't any better." Annabeth says, laughing even more. "Now you look like a spoiled child." She says between laughs.

"But I'm your spoiled child husband." I say, poking her in the side.

Annabeth laughs again and leans against me, her leg against mine. "That's right."

"So what are we doing down here?" I ask.

"What do you mean 'what are we doing down here?' We're doing it." Annabeth says, laughing at my question.

"Wait, what? Are we. . . or are we just doing what we're doing right now? I'm confused."

"Haha. Yes you are." She says. "But what I meant was, what we're doing right now, that's why we're down here." She replies softly.

"Okay, beccause for a moment I thought I was doing something wrong." I confess.

"Oh, you're still doing something wrong." She says playfully.

"And what's that?" I inquire.

"You're not kissing me right now." She says, smiling.

"Well, why don't I fix that then?" I ask, leaning over to Annabeth, closing my eyes as I press my lips against hers.

The light in the stables fades as we deepen our kiss. Without breaking our lip lock, Annabeth falls back and I roll over on top of her, before she grabs me and rolls me over so she is lying on top of me. Our eyes are tightly shut and the stables are silent apart from our rapidly beating hearts and heavy breath as we kiss eachother passionately.

Thirteen hours, I have been at the helm for thirteen hours, fiddling with my toolbelt and building things while Festus flies us farther and farther west. Jason and Tyson are sitting on the deck, Jason found a deck of cards in a drawer in his cabin and is trying to teach Tyson how to play Go-Fish. Tyson, not understanding the rules too well, keeps on trying to throw the cards over the side of the ship to catch fish with. Jason is lucky enough to be able to move the wind to bring the cards back to him. Every now and then I will gaze over at them and laugh silently to myself.

_Whizz Whirr Click Whirr Whirr Click Click Whizz. _Festus says.

"Yeah, I know Percy and Annabeth are below decks. What about it?" I ask.

_Whirr Click Whizz Whizz Whirr Click Whirr Whirr. _Festus replies.

"What? What are they doing down there?" I ask, jumping up from my chair. "Don't bother telling me, I'll take a look for myself." I say, racing across the deck to a set of monitors I put in recently, paired with cameras around the ship. With the flip of a switch, the monitors blink to life, displaying images of different parts of the ship. My eyes quickly scan to monitor 3D-7, code for third floor below deck, seventh room. This is better known as the pegasus stables, a useless part of the ship, but I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it.

The scene on the monitor throws me off for a moment because I see what appears to be a moving lump in the middle of the stable bay doors, but then the thing rolls over and I see that it's Percy and Annabeth, rolling around wildly on the floor, sucking face. I chuckle to myself and watch for a few moments but then guilt overcomes me and I flip the monitor off as I turn away, looking back at the helm and quickly grabbing the wheel that I luckily installed for quick maneuvering, flip the switch to manual, push a button that pulls in the aerial oars, and throw the wheel to the right, making the ship fly to the right, narrowly missing a mountain that appeared out of nowhere.

An alarm goes off beside me and I look at it, the proximity alarm is going haywire, a massive spire of rock is rapidly rising out of a fog that has suddenly come out of nowhere, and it's right below us! Without hesitation, I grab the horizontal gearshift lever beside me, and I yank it up, hard, sending us up into the air, allowing us to fly over the rising rock, and I veer to the left almost as soon as we level off. Jason and Tyson burst onto the bridge, both flustered.

The door closes behind them as I shout into the intercom, "EVERYONE! HOLD ON TIGHT!" before dropping the microphone and throwing the wheel to the right, pulling the gearshift up, pushing it down, throwing the wheel left, pulling the gearshift up as I turn the wheel left and flip a switch, moving the ship sideways and retracting the masts and sails, allowing the ship to fly right between two spires of rock that come by us horizontally.

"HOLD ON YOU TWO, THIS IS GOING TO BE ROUGH!" I shout to Jason and Tyson as I grab the wheel and jerk up on the gearshift, turning the wheel to the right and pulling down a large, Doctor Who style lever to my right, moving the ship up, turning it right and allowing it to loop-de-loop under one rock spire, over another, and around a third. I quickly push the lever back up, level off the gearshift and center the wheel, stabilizing the ship. My hands fly across the controls, pulling switches, flipping levers, yanking on gearshifts, spinning the wheel, pushing buttons, all while narrowly managing to keep us from crashing to our deaths against the rock spires around us.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON LEO?!" I hear Percy shout through the intercom in the Pegasus stables.

I pick up my mike and press the talk button, "YOU AND ANNABETH NEED TO HOLD ONTO SOMETHING STATIONARY AND DON'T LET GO, WHATEVER HAPPENS, GOT IT?!" I scream into the mike.

"GOT IT!" Percy shouts back.

I throw the wheel to the left, pull up the gearshift, and throw down the lever, sending us in a spiralling motion like a rollercoaster, avoiding several spires as we do. I undo the inputs I just made and switch to another set, sending us in a wild zigzag motion with spirals and twists, turns and flips, and all kinds of other motions that I have no words for. My hands move quick as a flash, shooting across the controls and not pausing for a moment. After a few minutes, I see a brighter patch of light through the ever thickening fog and I reach for a dial right beside the wheel, above the lever to my left. Grabbing the handle on it, I frantically twist it, giving us a lot more speed. Several more spires come up, a little less frequently as we near the edge of the fog but my hands still fly across the controls, moving us around, over, under, between, beside, past, and in all other kinds of directions to avoid the ever changing obstacle course growing around us.

After about three minutes, with fuel starting to run low, we finally break through the fog, sunlight greeting us as we slowly extract ourselves from the deadly, and expanding, fog obstacle course. I turn back the speed, raise the masts and lower the sails, turning them to the wind and pull out the aerial oars, moving us away from the fog. The warm light of the sun slowly recharging the nearly depleted fuel cells of the ship. As we pull farther and farther away from the fog, I finally see what I just guided us through, it is a massive cloud of thick black fog, sitting over the green rolling hills of the landscape around us. While we continue to pull away from the fog, it begins to dissipate, leaving behind the spire maze we managed to get safely through for a few moments before that too dissipates.

Percy and Annabeth run up onto deck, battered and bruised, bleeding from a few different places, cuts and bruises all over them. Neither looks too pleased.

The door to the bridge flies open and Percy walks in, his hands balled up in fists, the blood on his face, either his, Annabeth's, or a mixture of the two, making him look very menacing at the moment.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR? DO YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY TO GO ON WILD JOYRIDES LIKE THAT? WE COULD'VE BEEN KILLED!" Percy screams at me as I cower in a corner.

"Percy, I just saved all of us from a horrible death-by-mystery-fog-rock-spikes! If I had taken the time to give you guys the heads up, we'd all be dead right now. Look behind you to see for yourself!" I say, crawling even farther into that small little corner.

Percy turns around in time to see the last of the fog dissipate, leaving behind a massive rock structure made of individual spires making a mass about the size of Manhattan with sharp points jutting out from many hundreds of thousands of angles. His jaw drops as he stares at it.

"What. . . the fuck. . . is that?" He asks, completely astonished by the thing.

"_Di immortales._" Annabeth says when she sees it.

"Whatever it is, it tried to kill us and I recommend that we stay really fucking far away from it." I say, standing up. "Festus, take note of these coordinates, make sure we remember not to come by here again on our way back."

"Are you okay Annabeth?" I ask, barely able to stand myself.

"I think so," she says, "but it's hard to tell."  
"I know the feeling, I'm sore all over but I don't know if anything is broken." I say, slumping down to the floor of the deck beside her, wiping a little of the blood on her face off on my sleeve.

"Guys! You're gonna' Want to take a look at this!" Leo shouts from the bridge.

Annabeth and I rise painfully to our feet and make our way to the rail, supporting eachother as much as possible. The sight that meets our eyes makes us fall to our knees. The city of San Francisco California is in ruins, there is little more than flaming or smoking rubble left where skyscrapers once stood, towering over the ground, people crawl miserably through the rubble, trying to stay alive, or trying to find a way out of the city.

"What happened here?" Annabeth asks.

"I have a bad feeling I may know." I say.

"What do you think it was Percy?" She asks.

"Not what, who." I say.

"Who could it be then?" Annabeth asks, too stunned to be frustrated.

"My sister."

**Thank you guys for being so loyal and patient with me, I've been a little busy with school recently so I haven't been able to get as much done as I've wanted but here I am, a new chapter for you guys, and girls, who are reading this. I meant to thank the people who reviewed in my last chapter, but I forgot, sorry to anyone who reviewed before my last chapter was posted a little while back. Anyway, I haven't received as many reviews as I hoped so I am going to ask again, please leave reviews for me, I need them to get my creative juices flowing to get you all another chapter sooner. So please, for all that is good and right and for everything else in this world, send in your reviews of this story. If it's good, awesome! Thank you for the compliments. If it's bad, even better! Knowing what you guys don't like helps me a lot to make this story better. If I have at least eight new reviews by the time I am done and ready to post my next chapter I will start thanking all of you reviewers again for your reviews. Thank you people for all you do to help in your own way whether it is reading my story or reviewing, I thank all of you beautiful people.**

**Sincerely Yours,**

**-The Argronaut**


	17. Chapter 14

Skyscrapers lay on their sides, rubble tumbles down onto the streets from the overturned buildings, cars burn all around, small fires erupt from the ruins of the city. People scramble over eachother, racing to get out.

"We have to help them," Tyson says to me.

"How can we? We can't stop an earthquake, right?" Leo asks.

"No, but we can help people to get out," Jason replies.

"What about the water rushing towards those people over there?" Leo asks.

"Where?" I ask.

"Percy, over there!" Annabeth points.

I look over and watch as water races towards the people frantically running to escape from it as it creeps closer to them. Without thinking, I hold out my hand and feel for the water. There is a sharp tug in my gut as I tell it to stop, keeping it from sweeping away the people. As the water stays put, more and more builds up behind it, creating an ever climbing wall of water.

"Percy! Stop! You're going to hurt yourself!" Annabeth shouts at me, but her voice grows distant as I close my eyes, trying to focus on keeping the water still.

"Percy!" Jason shouts at me, but his voice fades out.

"_Well, well, well. Our little hero. Young Perseus Jackson, you try hard to save them, but why? They live such short lives. Why save them if they will only die later?" _A deep voice asks me.

"Every life is worth saving, no matter how short that life is," I reply.

"_Would you really sacrifice yourself for them? They don't know what's happening, they don't know what's to come, but you do. Why die saving a few if you could let them go and save them all?" _The voice asks.

"I save everyone I can, whenever I can," I say, barely able to hold back the water.

"_If you save them now, then you won't be able to save your sister, or your wife, or your friends. Would you really give up your life, your future, for five humans? Are they really worth that?" _It asks again.

"Everyone is worth something," I retort.

"_And what are you worth? Aren't you more important than all of them down there?"_

"NO! Their lives are important, just as important as mine. I will not let them die!" I shout as a surge of strength shoots through my body from my left arm.

Percy holds his hand out and looks at the water, stopping it in it's tracks. As it stays there, it grows higher and higher, taking more and more of his strength to keep it back, and I can see it on his face.

"Percy! Stop! You're going to hurt yourself!" I shout at him, but his eyes close.

"Percy!" Jason shouts at him, but Percy doesn't stop, he just stands there, holding back the water.

His face goes blank and a shudder passes through his body as he stands there.

"Every life is worth saving," Percy says.

"What?" I ask him.

"I save everyone I can, whenever I can," he says as his hand starts to shake.

"Percy, what's going on with you? What are you saying?" I ask him, stepping closer.

"Everyone is worth something," he says as a grunt escapes his mouth.

"Percy, they're safe, you can stop now. Percy! Please!" I say, grabbing his arm.

"NO! Their lives are important, just as important as mine. I will not let them die!" Percy screams as his eyes fly open and the water shoots back before flooding forward again, the wave sweeping away broken cars and putting out several fires.

Percy collapses to his knees, breathing heavily as he looks up at me.

"What was that Percy? What just happened?" I ask, kneeling down beside him.

"I think I know why my sister did this," he says.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because Chaos wanted to see how far I'd go to save them. He was testing me," Percy says.

"No Percy," Leo says. "He was testing us."

We look out at the destroyed city and watch as a dark black cloud creeps over the ruins, destroying everything it touches. Leo runs back to the helm and flies us away from the city, but the rest of us look back and watch as the ruins dissolve into nothing.

"It's gone, it's all just gone," Jason says.

"And I have the feeling that this is just the beginning," I say, holding Percy's arm.

**I am thinking about ending this first story here, if you guys think that I should please tell me in your reviews. If you think I should keep it going, please let me know your opinions. If you have ideas of what you would like to see me do next in this series, please let me know in your reviews or im PMs. Thank you guys for your support, it means a lot to me.**

**-The Argronaut**


End file.
